The Longest Hunt
by NaughtFiction
Summary: For him, the night was supposed to end. The Dream would come to a close and he had done his best in his service as a Hunter. He would awake in the new dawn and make the most of what remained of his life. But a new nightmare threatens the Hunter's Dream and a foreign world. The young hunter is thrown into a different world of huntsmen and huntresses to warn them, to save them.
1. Omens, A Nightmare Renewed

The Old Hunter waits beneath the awning of a great tree, resting in the light of that eternal moon. A small field of lilies sways in a gentle breeze before him as he rests in anticipation for the arrival of another. It is only a matter of time. It would be the closing of another night for waking world, like many before it. Another nightmare vanquished and the dream sustained by necessity if only to repel its recurring darkness once more.

Yet he could not help but feel weary of the thought.

His gaze lifts toward the outer edges of the field, noting the numerous gravestones surrounding the field; a testament of fulfilled tasks. The names inscribed on those stones remain prominent after so long, yet their faces have long since faded: another night, another handful of hunters, another name to carve down from the surviving few. He sighs, knowing the cycle is far from any ending, far from breaking away from his pledge to watch over the dream for _it_. "How long has it been?" he wondered. From the beginning, their numbers had been few in their search for the cure of the ashen blood. Only when they discovered the depths beneath Yharnam, its blood rituals and secrets, did they have a need to form their workshops. Therebetween had been their beginning, and ironically enough their impending end. If only they hadn't discovered those lower labyrinths and tainted blood. If only they hadn't decide to pursue the study of blood or knowledge hidden in the cosmos. If only they didn't have to hunt down the victims afflicted with the scourge of the beast and be exposed otherwise.

But those musings bring no comfort for him now. How long has the Old Hunter watched over the dream since its conception? How long must he continue to do so, before the longing turns to madness? How much longer must he suffer?

 _"Gehrman."_ a voice calls out.

The Old Hunter turns to face the approaching figure, his only "companion" per se. The Doll stands before him, her eyes vacant yet expectant, as her hands fold into one another. She has been the only other constant aside from him, the dream, and the presence in the moon. Always dutiful in serving the many hunters who have come, channeling their acquired blood echoes into their strength. Always faithful in providing a brief respite away from the waking world, her presence a soothing calm. The Doll bows her head slightly to him, and the Hunter knows.

 _"It is time."_ She speaks softly yet her face betrays no emotion.

Gehrman nods, sensing the coming dawn about to breach. Countless years of service had given him personal insight when the cycle comes full circle, only to begin again. He sighs once more. "When the young hunter arrives, send him my way," he says with a slight wave of his hand. The Doll bows once more and turns to make her way out of the field of lilies to await the incoming hunter. Gehrman returns to his own thoughts, most notably the hunter of this particular night. It has proven to be odd how young the hunter was when he arrived in the dream. While it wasn't unusual for Gehrman to meet with hunters whom the dream calls, it was much to his surprise that this particular hunter came of his own volition. Gehrman turns to look at the moon looming over the sky, contemplating the nature behind this hunter's arrival. Many have sought the dream for their own purposes before, their nature often dubious. But this one… this hunter seems driven by something else. Not of ambition or power but of some form of fulfillment. He didn't know the young hunter's full story but Gehrman's eyes caught a glint of… something; a longing for purpose, a means to exist. Gehrman had felt that the young man before must have suffered something terrible to turn to hunting in the night. A troubled childhood haunting those eyes perhaps…

And Gehrman understood those feelings well, as he himself felt the same long ago. So he mentored the young hunter, threw him to the wolves when necessary and imparted the wisdom he knew to better his apprentice's chances. Gehrman had one other apprentice in a time before and could see the resemblance between the two. They were eager yet cautious, taking his words and the waking world on with a vigilant mind.

Gehrman hears the soft footfalls approach him once more.

He turns to face the youthful hunter before him, cleansed of any blood or gore he may have encountered on his way back to the dream. His face hidden behind a leather face wrap and tucked under a tri-fold hat with its back torn and bearing that familiar wolfish accent. Gehrman notes the young hunter's weapons: a sheathed katana rests at his side and the hilt of a pistol peeks out from within his coat. His grey trench coat, worn yet still serviceable, hugs a sturdy but lithe frame whose shoulders were upright. "Always attentive and on the alert, aren't you?" Gehrman thought to himself before speaking to the young hunter.

"Good Hunter, you've done well, the night is near its end. Now I will show you mercy. You will die, forget this dream, and awake under the morning sun. You will be freed from this terrible Hunter's Dream."

Gehrman had repeated these very words over and over to many a hunter, and those he spoke them too were often relieved at their escape. Oh, how the Old Hunter longed to be freed as well. But the eyes of the young hunter before him were not of relief, but of sadness. A misplaced grief, Gehrman felt, that would do no good for either of them.

"You must accept your death, be freed from the night," Gehrman had stated with authority. He understood his apprentice's feelings, the hunt and the dream being the only things possibly left and wholly discarded on the young hunter's return to the waking world. But Gehrman remained firm, if only for his apprentice. He watched as the young hunter lowered his head, maybe out of disappointment or sadness. He then nodded to Gehrman, turned, and knelt before the lilies in front of them. It is then Gehrman stood from his chair, readying his blade: a vicious looking scythe that had severed many hunters from the dream and will continue to do so, forever. Gehrman raises his weapon, poised to strike down his apprentice.

"It will be alright, good hunter," he says softly as he brings down his blade.

It would end, just like the others.

And the hunter would be cut away from the hunter's dream for good…

Was it not for the unmistakable sound of a shriek tearing across the skies, just stopping Gehrman's blade before the young hunter's neck. Both, alerted by the unusual circumstances of the dream, turn to face the looming moon were the scream had come from. Both had watched as some shadow, some _thing_ began to overtake it in its shroud. On the moon's face, images of some unknown town, a city perhaps, was being over run by beasts. It was the very same beasts which had plagued Yharnam. Constantly cutting back to a peaceful scene before switching to the bloodied horror, Gehrman felt a chill run through his old bones as some unknown fear began to overwhelm him. This static omen foretold the beginning of another plague, in a place unknown to their plight. His eyes turned back to the shadow enshrouding the moon, and the scream rang out once more. Both Gehrman and the young hunter were forced to cover their ears, as the shriek continued. Then both heard the sound of something cracking, like a stone under great pressure. Gehrman looked up and could only watch as the darkness, with its now apparent glowing red eyes, surrounding the moon, smothering it in complete darkness before a resounding crunch had left shattered.

Then the shadow turned towards him, and the place of the dream.

"Go. Now." Gehrman could only say as he readied his weapon, eyes never leaving the encroaching shadow. But he did not hear the sounds of footfalls leaving him be, and from a quick glance, saw his apprentice stand beside him with both weapons drawn; loyal to the end. But Gehrman knew they would not survive, he would not survive. In all his time spent in service of the dream, in service to the presence that resides within the moon, he had protected and carried on the dream, even against his will. But his virtue as a hunter urges him on, to stand his ground and fight. But he could not do so in vain. Gehrman knew that the images they had learned were omens, of another town to be stricken with the plague and ignorant of it drastic nature. There was no way he could leave the dream, to warn them of the impending darkness, to avert the dangers he wished Yharnam had the foresight to do. He could do nothing to help. But the young hunter could.

"You must leave this place, now!" Gehrman shouted to the young hunter beside him. He had turned to look at Gehrman, confused as to why he would take on the threat alone.

"There's no chance of you surviving this encounter. You must leave to that place shown to us and put a stop to the plague before it begins." Gehrman had stated once more. But his apprentice, though loyal to a fault, had shown hesitation in following the orders of the Old… no, of the First Hunter and faltered in his steps backward. Gehrman turns his head slightly, keeping the young hunter in the corner of his eye but never leaving the shadow.

"You must find that place, and, on your honor as a hunter, protect them from what I could not. Do I have your word, young hunter?" he asked.

The young hunter's eyes met with his master, his mentor, and saw a determination ignite in that old frame. It burned fiercely and for a moment, he could not help but see Gehrman true to his form, a hunter of beasts. The young hunter nodded, but before he could leave he had heard what could be his master's last words: "Do what I could not Sibyll… And remember, to fear the old blood."

The young hunter turned, and ran back out of the small field, towards the Doll which beckoned him to follow. Gehrman turned his full attention back to the shadow closing the distance between the sky and the place of the dream. All he could do was buy time for the young hunter, and allow the Doll to guide him to the foreseen place. Gehrman would have liked to leave the dream and finally put himself at rest. But he knew. He knew a hunter's work was never finished until every single beast had met his blade. He smiled at the irony: a hunter longing for release, for death, but not this way. Not in this manner.

"Tonight, Gehrman joins the hunt."

* * *

The young hunter ran into the workshop with the Doll in tow. He lifted the lid of the storage casket, and began throwing as many books and texts as he could into its confines. He was unsure if it would do any good to protect all the data and information gathered from those before him, but he would certainly try. Along with it, some small supplies and tools necessary for a hunter's work, but he had down well to keep it well stocked should the situation arise for its use. That last and most important piece he safely stowed away were his notes, taken down religiously during his travel. It held all he had learned, from the town's discoveries and methods to besting the beasts he had encountered.

 _"Good Hunter, we must hurry,"_ the Doll spoke lacking the tone of urgency but he could feel it. He nodded to her, closed the lid shut, and began to follow her out of the workshop, looking briefly back to see the workshop burn but never charring the building itself.

The young hunter followed her to one of the dream's cliff sides and she had beckoned him to stand at its edge. He was understandably hesitant, never truly discovering what lay beneath the cloudscape. _"It will be alright, good Hunter."_ The Doll does her best calm the young hunter's nerves, placing her cold hand upon his face. He leaned into it on instinct, remembering a forgotten warmth. Her hand slowly pulls away, just as a resounding crash is heard in the field Gehrman stood his ground. The Doll turns back to the young hunter and places something in his hand.

 _"You will still be tied to this place dear hunter, but your means of leaving it is nontraditional. Some things may be lost or forgotten, but I will always remain with you."_ The Doll clasps her hands over the young hunter's. _"The messengers will do their best to support you. Fulfill your role,"_ the Doll pushes the young hunter over the edge, _"and may you find your worth in the waking world."_

As he plummeted to the cloudscape below him, the young hunter watched as the Doll raised her hand to her hair, to the silver comb he had given her when he chanced upon the original workshop. It was there he discovered the basis for the dream and found her body, unmoving and lifeless in the waking world. With it a silver comb he brought back and gifted to her, as he felt rightfully so. The wind whipped all around him and his gaze turned back to the mysterious object in his hand. He opened it carefully and saw a sparkling, silver stone it his grasp, a tear stone. The young hunter closed his hand around the stone, and held it close to his chest, finding the familiar warmth the Doll provided. He hoped he would be okay as he disappeared into the clouds below and his consciousness slipped into darkness.

* * *

 **Somewhere on the Outskirts and Beneath Vale**

Bodies moved quickly about the caverns below, bringing materials to and forth to the once silent place. Their bodies garbed in black in white, faces concealed behind a white mask and cowl. Crates of dust and other supplies being stockpiled and tents erected about for various purposes: communication, medical bay, war room, the canteen for the members of the White Fang to rest and take turns in their shift. On a cliff above them, another young man watches, vigilant over his brother and sisters. His dark, sleek clothing gives him the cover he needs to overseer the operations, his red hair the only color sticking out of the darkness if one were to look hard enough. Though this particular faunus had his own reservations about the whole operation. He was leader, a figurehead to his subordinates, yet he was working with and taking orders from a human. Were they not trying to work for the same cause, Adam Taurus would have made short work of Cinder Fall's life considering what had happened during the brief attack on Vale.

While Roman was the one who prematurely initiated that stage of their plans, it made a statement of Vale's vulnerability. The mighty and prestigious kingdom was not as invincible as the populous believed and the White Fang were not to be trifled with. But that statement had cost them the element of surprise and the lives of other White Fang members who were trapped in Mountain Glenn's cavern. It sickened Adam of the nonchalance his "partners" had over the victims of that brief attack. But he was forced to swallow his anger under orders of the higher ups, to simply turn the other cheek and think of those lost lives as valiant sacrifices.

Sacrifices…

A word which does nothing but slander the efforts of those victims, but Adam had kept his silence. His attention however had turn back to the wall this base of operations was being established: grand and vast depictions were carved into the rock face he couldn't discern, let alone the strange inscriptions of a language long gone. Adam didn't understand what Cinder's purpose was for establishing a base here or what those depictions were, but he felt a strange apprehension looking at it. For some strange reason, Adam Taurus felt wary of what the wall possibly forewarned.

A buzzing of his scroll brought his attention back and he had answered the secured line.

"How is the operation faring?" a sultry voice asked over the scroll.

"The base is just about ready for full function," he replied. The shorter the time spent speaking with Cinder the better. Adam was ordered to lend her and her group their numbers but he didn't fully trust her.

"And the dust supplies Roman acquired for you?"

"Here and numbering just as he promised. The bastard surprisingly held up his end before the arrest," Adam said bitterly.

"Try not to be so ornery Adam," Cinder had chided over the call. "Our plans will be complete soon and the whole of Remnant will understand the full might of the White Fang. That is if you hold onto your end of course."

Adam scoffed over the call. "What else is necessary for this base?"

"Prepare some of the dust to be used as explosives. Small ones so the force of the explosions can be controlled. Other than that, await further orders."

Adam turned his attention back to the wall, still feeling that sense of apprehension. Why the need for explosions? If anything, numerous small explosions could cause an underground collapse. If she intended to use them on the wall…

"If there's nothing else to report, I'll leave to the rest to you," Cinder had said and about to end their call.

"Wait."

"Hmm?"

"Why did you choose this place specifically?" Adam had asked. The cavern itself wasn't as close to the kingdom of Vale as Mountain Glenn was, nor was it near surface level to provide any serious damage. If anything, Adam noted, the base was a ways off from the kingdom and deeper beneath the surface than expected. He voiced his musing to her, and there was a brief silence over the phone.

"That would be on a need to know basis Taurus, which you don't fulfill."

Adam gritted his teeth, trying to control the anger in next words spoken. "I believe I'm owed answers for incident at Mountain Glenn. I brought back the White Fang's morale over their losses. Without me, you wouldn't have the numbers and man power for your little scheme. So talk, witch."

He wouldn't have needed to be in her presence, but Adam could feel Cinder's displeasure over his tone and address to her. Not that it mattered, but Adam felt the need to remind her who she had decided to work with, manipulation or otherwise.

"If you feel so inclined to know Taurus, then I'll consent. But I doubt you'd believe me."

"Humor me."

He heard a brief sigh on her end.

"We don't have enough power to truly bring Remnant to its knees," Cinder simply states.

Adam furrows his brow at her statement.

"With the amount of Paladins Torchwick stole and the dust—"

"It's not the dust I'm after."

Adam remained silent.

"We may have enough dust, men, and machines to make Vale fall, but not the four kingdoms as a whole. Given the tenacity of hunters and huntresses in Vale, they're going to put up a fight. Knowing Ozpin, he'll be preparing his own counter-measures for when the city is forced to surrender at our will. But the arrival of the other three kingdoms would have us cornered, despite our agents within them. We simply don't have enough to stand to the full might of Remnant."

"And the cave?"

"That is where we find our ace. You and your members blow a hole in that door, and victory is but a trigger away."

He snorts in disbelief.

"Whether you believe it or not, our victory is beyond those walls," Cinder replies. "And it is an ancient power which can guarantee a reminder of why the faunus are more superior than the humans who hate them."

Adam turns back to the wall once more. "A door huh?"

"If that is all Taurus, then I leave the rest of the work to you. Do try your best."

With that the call ends and Adam is left to watch he the finalization of the base. Yet even after that call, even after being shared a portion of her scheme, Adam can still feel that sense of wariness when looking at the wall. Its warped curves and protrusions, carved with such skill as if it could reach out on its own. But if that wall is truly the door, he muses, then what is just beyond the threshold?

* * *

 **A/N: The first fan fiction I've written (and it's a cross fiction at that) and I find myself in anticipation for the reviews and feedback. Why did I choose to start out writing a cross fiction between RWBY and Bloodborne? I just found the premise of it interesting. Please feel free to let me know what your thoughts are. If there was something you liked about the prologue, let me know! Same goes for any you found to be negative or in need of improvement. I will be sure to do my best in uploading each chapter and learning from your feedback. Until next time everyone.**


	2. A Dangerous Dawn

**A/N: This chapter certainly is pretty lengthy, but I tend to write chapters in large portions, ending them where I think it feels right. I'll leave my answers to past comments and my personal comments of the work at the end of the chapter. Please enjoy!**

* * *

Darkness.

Once the young hunter had broken through the cloudscape, both his mind and body had been overwhelmed with it. He didn't know how much time had passed or if he was still in free fall. All he could see was a black abyss, unsure if his eyes even perceived the nothing before him. Was he asleep? His body… Did he have a body? The hunter flexed his hands and felt movement. And yet, the movement itself felt displaced as if spread thin over the expanse. This place… what was it?

"Sibyll."

The hunter stirs at the call of a name. Was it his name perhaps? But if it is, shouldn't he already know that by heart? Slight agitation sets in, followed by a muddled confusion. There is something he's forgetting, something of terrible importance, but he could not place it.

"Sibyll~!" the voice calls out once more, a melody which strikes a chord within him.

But from where does the voice call? There is a presence there with him but the hunter cannot feel its placement. All he can feel is warmth. Wait… warmth? But when did he—

"You have to wake up eventually~! You can't sleep in all day!" the voice calls, prodding him to move.

Something begins to glow in the darkness, a far-off light which fuels the warmth at his core. And the young hunter begins to move. He could feel himself begin to form: the swaying of his hands and arms, the movement of his legs with each given stride. His chest swells with breath yet the hunter felt no natural need to breathe. There is a comfort in this form, even as his mind continues to clutter with thoughts.

"Well if you're going to be like that," the voice says, "then I'll just have to count down from five and wake you myself~."

His steps begin to quicken, his pace more urgent to reach the light.

"Five~."

The young hunter begins to break into a run.

"Four~." The voice takes a giddy pleasure in stretching each word, possibly for his sake. But the light still seems so far off.

"Three~." Desperation sets in, an urgency to reach the light. There is something else about the abyss, as if he is being watched. Watched and slowly pursued.

"Two~!" The light is just within reach but his breath begins to falter now. A fear to which the hunter hasn't felt for such a long time, and where he couldn't remember. A prey on the run from something it could not see but felt it close by, enough to reach out and grab it.

"One!" The hunter shoots his hand toward the light in a last ditch effort for safety. This darkness, this place... Something in his mind cried out for an escape, to leave and yet, to stay as well. That truly frightened the young hunter: to stay and dwell in darkness, an existence without form. A foreign thought asked to leave his body behind and become one with the abyss in thought, to become something… more… Until another hand softly takes his.

"There you are Sibyll," the voice says, tinged with a familiar affection.

The young hunter's eyes drift upward and take upon the image of a young lady enshrouded by light: her long and golden hair wanders listlessly this way and that, as if in water, and obscures her gentle face. A small and thin frame pulls him closer into an embrace, forcing him to surrender to her security. And for a moment, the abyss seems to shrink away from them, hiding on the outer edges of her light but cautiously waiting.

"You have a lot of work to do, you know?" the young lady asks.

Work? What work could he have? The hunter tries to recall but fails.

"Don't force it. You'll only make it worse." Her hand runs through his hair, combing the untamed locks but is met with no resistance. Over and over the young lady does this, until she tilts the young hunters face to hers.

"Promise me…" she says with sadness.

"Promise you won't forget who you are."

The young hunter is at a loss for her words. There is a longing in that sadness, but couldn't answer her. He feels both her hands placed on the sides of his face, her visage begin to turn into a growing panic. He reaches to assure her but cannot move. Something immobilizes him and is left to watch her face blur and contort.

"You'll keep your promise, right Sibyll?" she asks, her voice growing more frantic. He can feel her grip tighten, the sides of his face beginning to burn with pain. The golden light that once was begins to flicker and dim, losing its luster and the abyss begins to creep forward.

"Right, Sibyll?!" The growing intensity of her grip leaves the hunter gasping for release. His attempts to flail from her grasp prove pointless, his body unresponsive. Her body begins to change: locks of hair turn black and into tendril form, her small frame becoming elongated as her limbs begin to stretch. Skin turning black, a darker shade than the abyss around them. Her fingers grow long, wrapping his head entirely in her grasp, and at the mercy of this thing. The once kind face changed to form some sort of hole, a gaping orifice threatening to swallow him whole.

"RIGHT!?" It screeches at him and the sound proves to be too much for the hunter. The shrill sound pierces his ears, creating an inner ringing he can't stop. The pain is unbearable and he begs for it to stop. He begs for anything to stop its incessant shriek or simply kill him then and there. And it was soon joined by the voice of others.

He heard the sounds of people screaming, crying out in agony, fury, or for mercy.

Crackling fires burn away.

There was a snarling of beasts, guttural growls and howls.

A tearing sound and and something is spilled, thick, and viscous.

And a laughter, mirthless voice building up to a crescendo, in a disembodied voice. Was it... his voice?

 _"Go on, good hunter,"_ another voice calls out. A burst of silver light explodes from his chest and forces the creature away from him. It envelopes his body and in a sudden motion, rushes him away from the creature and the abyss with blinding force. A different light begins to form in the distance, a silvery beacon growing exponentially with the hunter's rapid approach. But the young hunter's escape was not without its chase, the creature following close behind, growling as it surged forward after him.

Images began to flash before his eyes, yet too quickly to be made sense of.

Another screech is heard behind him and the young hunter can see the tips of the creatures hand breach the corner of his sight. The long fingers begin to curl around him, forming a cage in its grasp, intent on keeping him.

Until the silver light began to burn red and the young hunter awoke.

* * *

He had startled himself awake, fear surging his muscles to flinch from the hold of the beast. His breathing was haggard, and his eyes strained to make sense of the blurring images in front of him. Bleary colors of red filled his sight and after rubbing his eyes awake did he see a canopy of red leaves.

The young hunter had awakened in a crimson forest, his body resting at the foot of a tree. Around him the sound of rustling leaves in a stray breeze, and the small glow of light peeks through the canopy signaling dawn. His breathing slowed and reflexively moved his fingers, noting his motor functions still in tact. The hunter forces himself up, feeling sluggish as he did so, and pulled the leather face wrap down. He breathed in the forest air, and after finding no foreign scent of a predator, assured he was alone for now. But why would he know to do that, the hunter asks himself.

He looks around and is surprised just how crimson the forest is. There doesn't appear to be any other color than red, with the exception of the trunks of trees, as even the grass shared the same palette. The hunter bends down to pick up a few fallen leaves and inhales its scent: fresh but with a hint of something else. It holds a fragrance some flora would give off during the turn of harvest.

"Strange…" the hunter says to himself.

He lets the leaves slip from his hand and turns to take in more of his surroundings: plentiful trees indicating a denser part of the forest and a layer of morning mist in the air. Were it not for his wariness of the strange terrain, the hunter would have felt the forest to be… peaceful. Its quiet air providing an ambient calm he took a moment to revel in. The last forest he had traversed was…

His brow furrows and his gloved hand reached up to massage his temple. The last time? When was the last time he was in a forest? But those thoughts would be put aside after he finishes his once over. He gives his legs a stretch and flex and everything appears to be in order. He searches his person to find himself unarmed.

Unarmed? The ache in his head returns. Why would he need to be armed? He continues his search through his pockets and finding nothing, save for a silvery tear stone tucked away in an inner pocket. He turned the stone in his hand, finding it familiar but unusually misplaced. He questioned why this was the only possession he found and placed it safely back where he found it. After another thorough search, the hunter concluded he was alone and left with a stone and the clothes on his back. Taking one last glance around the forest, the hunter begins his trek in search for a way out. He tucks his hat lower, finding solace in the weathered piece.

"Just where am I?" he asked himself as he disappears among the trees.

* * *

Ruby Rose couldn't help but release her yawn, born from one part sleepiness, one part boredom.

It wasn't unusual for students of Beacon to receive missions at odd hours of the morning or night and be expected to be ready at a moment's notice. After all, Huntsman and Huntresses have to be readily available should the Grimm incur or someone threatens the peace. They were to be the embodiment of protection against the beasts which hunt them, versatile in skill and tactic, and guard the whole of Remnant from the darkness at their walls. She would be one of the heroes to go down in history as a protector for everyone's happy ending, and she would ensure the future peace.

But she would have liked to have breakfast first; given it was a meal they had to skip to meet the bullhead on time (at her partner's reluctant insistence). The thought of missing out on today's chocolate chip pancakes have left her pretty sullen.

She turned to look at her team and saw they were fairing no better than she:

Weiss Schnee, heiress to the most prominent family in all the kingdoms, an authority and proprietor of anything dust, and her partner, filed away at her nails with a bored expression and a tired sigh. Despite the early morning mission they received, she had remained dignified if not slightly bothered by skipping her usually light meal.

Blake Belladonna, their sole infiltrator specialist and former White Fang member, opted to read yet another novel but Ruby could see her eyes strain to keep awake with each page. To Ruby, it must have been another night pouring through her novels or trouble sleeping. She wouldn't have confronted the introverted cat girl about it, but Ruby had noticed her curling up in her sleep with a troubled expression. The young girl would wait for her to broach the topic whenever she was ready.

And finally her sister: Yang Xiao Long. Infamous brawler, flirt, and pun aficionado, Ruby's big sister was found leaned back, arms crossed, and legs kicked up, snoring loudly in her slumber without a care in the world. Ruby noted how often her sister could sleep vulnerably in any given situation, yet was a force to be reckoned with when disturbed. Something her father used to say about her was brought to mind: "It's best to let sleeping dragons lay, ESPECIALLY your sister." She did remember a time when someone tried to be handsy with her during their time at Signal. Ruby also remembered how hands were not supposed to bend that way…

With her thoughts returning to the present, Ruby sighed at what is to be another Grimm extermination mission. Ever since the brief attack on Vale, teams have been sent out in intervals to wipe out the growing numbers of Grimm near the kingdom's borders and maintain a surveillance of the city with other professional huntsman and huntresses. It would serve to "restore the public's faith in their protectors" as their headmaster aptly put it. But exterminating Grimm and city patrol had begun to grow stale with each shift the teams take. _"At least we're going on our own this time,"_ Ruby thinks to herself. The lack of a professional hunter's aid had proven they were capable of handling smaller missions on their own.

Her gaze turned back out of the bullhead transporting them to Forever Fall forest as another accompanying ship holding their closest friends and sister team, Team JNPR, flew close by. She placed a finger to the receiver at her ear and turned it on.

"How are you holding up Jaune?" she asked, her voice giving off slight concern to the blonde leader. It was widely known that Jaune Arc, Beacon's resident knight, goofball, and "ladies' man" (she chuckled at the title) was prone to succumbing to motion sickness.

She was met with the sound of dry heaving in her receiver, followed by a weakly sounded "peachy" as a response.

"He'll be much better when we land," the voice of Pyrrha Nikos joins in. Four time tournament champion of Mistral and the epitome of a warrior beauty (at least that's what Ruby picked up from the male students, though was unsure why they held their books so low).

"I'm telling you, Jauney would've felt _soooo_ much better had Ren made breakfast," Nora Valkyrie, explosions expert (if expert meant "create the biggest boom a canister could hold"), chimed in. "Right Ren?"

"Nora, I think breakfast would defeat the purpose. Considering Jaune's ailment, a full stomach would only make it worse." Lie Ren, Nora's sole handler (and possible soul mate, Ruby had hoped) and aura specialist, contributed to the conversation.

"Ren's right Nora," Jaune added weakly, "I kind of want to keep my breakfast down." Another dry heave followed and Ruby could only sigh.

"Is that Arc having another fit?" Weiss asked from behind, conceding to inquiring about the hopeless romantic to stave off boredom. Ruby responded with a brief "Mhmm" before Yang's arm suddenly shot up from her sleep.

"Hundred lien… he doesn't… make it." Yang mumbled her proposal before returning to sleep.

"I'll take those odds," Weiss says as she continues to file her nails.

"Likewise," Blake adds, turning yet another page.

Ruby could only laugh at the wager made at their friend's expense. It had been a pastime whenever the two teams were paired up for missions, much to Jaune's chagrin.

"They're placing bets again huh?" Jaune asked weakly.

"Aaaa-yup!" Ruby responded.

"Tell Yang that Ren and I will double down! Our fearless leader will TOTALLY make it this time!" Nora says a little too excitedly. Ren responds with a sigh.

"Why am I included again?" he asks his bubbly companion.

"Because we'll get quadruple the winnings if we win!" Nora's cheer and faith in their leader continues to be resolute.

"And just the same amount if we lose."

"But if we _win~_ , think of _all~_ the lien we'd have! You could even restock your favorite shampoo!"

Ren sighs once more into his receiver, planning to pull himself out of the wager before Nora adds, "And you can buy that brand of tea you enjoy that's _super_ _expensive~!"_ Her sing song tone comes to an end, and Ruby hears the line go quite for a moment before Ren finally breaks it with a "We're counting on you Jaune" and is followed by a distressed "Oh, come on!" on Jaune's part.

Ruby chuckles and opens her scroll to see their position on their map. They're not far off from the drop location, another ten minutes away, before something catches her eye. Quick movements below in the sea of red trees gave way to blurs of black seen between the openings.

"Can we get a scan of the land below us?" Ruby asks the pilot. The pilot nods and with a flip of a switch, Ruby is able to see multiple dots move across her scroll's map. Their formation is familiar to a Beowolf's pack but there was something strange with their numbers and movement. Beowolves tended not to exceed to great a number but there twenty dots moving in staggering angles. From what Ruby learned in Professor Port's class (the parts she could stay awake for), Beowolf packs moved as a single unit with the objective to take down their prey effectively: cornering off escapes and providing distractions. Yet her map revealed the dot's movement as erratic, some overtaking the others as if in a race against each other.

Then Ruby noticed another dot, the one the predators were pursuing. She watched on her screen as the lone dot moved at angles and straight lines, switching from one to another when the pack came to close. Her thoughts began to form at the possibilities: a stray villager perhaps? No, they wouldn't have been able to keep a clear head or have lasted this long when that many Grimm were hot on their heels. At this point, a mistake would have happened and sadly they wouldn't have survived. Maybe a form territorial display? Grimm only interacted with other animals as a means to assert dominance over certain areas. But the numbers didn't seem to yield despite the amount of land it covered.

"What's got your attention Ruby?" Jaune asked, his tone turned serious despite the weakness of his voice.

"It's something below. Something weird," she replies and after a brief moment Jaune's curiosity is also piqued over the scan on his own scroll.

"Do you think it could be a stray Hunter?" he asked her.

Ruby felt it could be a possibility but most registered Hunters would have an emergency signal tied to their scrolls. A distress beacon calling for help to the nearest kingdom or outpost should they be outnumbered.

"Maybe, but wouldn't have Ozpin known? The only other explanation would be that—"

"—their scroll is compromised, leaving them stranded." Jaune finished her thought. Ruby nodded to herself. And as their bullheads drew farther and farther away from the dots on her scroll, she decided to abandon their current mission at the possible threat of someone else's life.

"We have to turn back," Ruby commanded the pilot. Both Blake and Weiss looked at their leader with confusion.

"Ruby, what is this about?" Weiss asked. It was unusual for their leader to abandon their mission, even if hunting Grimm felt repetitive.

"There's movement down below and I think it's worth investigating." Ruby replies and turns back to the pilot. "We have to turn back, now."

"I'm sorry miss, but without express orders from the headmaster I can't—" the pilot tries to say before Ruby cuts him off.

"Please, there might be some trouble in the forest below." Ruby pleads.

"What exactly did you see?" Blake asks, trying to diffuse the tense situation.

"I saw… I saw a pack of Beowolves in the act of pursuit." Ruby admits.

"I don't see how that's anything unusual to their normal behavior," Weiss says, crossing her arms and sending a strict look to her partner. "It's probably a territorial dispute between the packs."

Ruby shakes her head. "The person they're pursuing seems to move in evasive tactics."

"Are you sure it could be some ** _one_** and not some ** _thing_**?" Blake asks. She wanted to know if the situation was truly dire. It wasn't unusual for the creatures of Grimm to clash from time to time, and checking on a false lead may prove dangerous for both teams.

"Someone… possibly." Ruby concedes that maybe she's over thinking what she's seen but Jaune's input may confirm her suspicion. She turns back to the pilot. "Someone could be really hurt down there."

The pilot sits conflicted with her plea but shakes his head.

"I'm sorry Miss Rose. You and your team don't have the authority to embark outside your mission's parameter. My orders are only to the drop off point and back to the academy. If I let you and your teams go on your own, you may possibly compromise yourselves and I cannot allow that. If you contact your headmaster—"

But Ruby stopped listening at this point. There were signs of possible distress below and while Ozpin could get in contact with them at a moment's notice, the same could not be said vice versa. They would have to get in touch with Professor Goodwitch or another representative to reach the headmaster to change their mission's parameter. But with the growing distance from the targets and awaiting authorization, it would take too much time and time they possibly didn't have. With how the pack of dots kept gaining ground on the evasive one, they could be the deciding factor of a rescue mission. Have decided for herself, Ruby leapt out from the bullhead and descended into the forest below.

"What the… Did she just jump!" the pilot shouts back to the remainder of the team, effectively waking up Yang.

"That infuriating DOLT!" Weiss screams, as she leans out from the bullhead to watch her partner disappear in the sea of red.

"What happened?" Yang asks; worry now beginning to build as she realized her sister's absence.

"Your sister and our **leader** decided to abandon us!" Weiss yelled over the roar of the bullhead. Yang turns to face the bullhead pilot, demanding they turn back. The pilot, deciding that the life of the academy's student is more imperative than his job security, turns the bullhead around and in the direction where the hooded girl dropped.

"Jaune," Blake speaks into her receiver.

"Already on it," he responds and begins to order their pilot to follow the remainder of Team RWBY.

"Damn it Ruby! Just what were you thinking!?" Yang says to herself as the bullhead begins to follow the speeding dot on their map.

After landing safely to the forest below, Ruby uses her semblance to try and catch up to the pack on her map. Whoever was being chased had gained a fair amount of distance from her, and she intended to catch up. Her thoughts, however, are in disarray between her compromising the mission and quelling the sense of danger in her gut. If what she found was truly nothing, Ruby vowed to take sole responsibility for her mistake and make it out of there alive. But if she and Jaune were right about their concerns… She picked up speed even more, weaving between trees in hopes of stopping the pack before they reach their prey.

* * *

The young hunter ducks underneath another swipe of the beasts pursuing him. Sounds of snarling and snapping teeth coming too close for comfort. A portion of his mind was frantic, trying to evade the unnatural wolves he happened upon. The other part formulating evasive tactics and timing. He took a glance back at his pursuers: their black fur, white spikes and bony plating were foreign to him and when their red eyes collectively turned to him, he broke into a run.

He didn't know how long he ran, how many times he was forced to dive and roll between the thick trees or under their swipes, but he knew he couldn't evade them for long. The hunter felt he could have taken one or two of them, but a whole pack would be suicide. He had he dealt with something similar before, but when? Another pain surges through his head but the hunter pushes on, the basic need for self preservation taking priority. He especially wanted to avoid a confrontation from the leader of the pack, standing much taller, sturdier, and deadlier from the rest. It was the Alpha Beowolf which kept a much closer chase on the young hunter, taking an opportune swipe and bite when it could.

The hunter's path of escape breaks through into a clearing, and he curses under his breath. A clearing meant no trees and no trees meant mean space to be over taken. The pack circles around him, effectively cutting off any escape.

He comes to a stop and the hunter tries his best to keep an eye on the beasts which begin surround him. He notes how they work as one, yet seem to be in competition with one another, nipping at each other's leg and forcing themselves in front of others. But his eyes never left the Alpha before him, moving more slowly and cautiously. And an image flashes before the hunter's eyes:

 _A different wolf with a more lycanthropic form and it feeds on a mutilated corpse. The room, dark and dusty, reeks of preservative agents and the air is stagnant with the exception of spilled blood. The wolf seems wounded but still alert. It turns to the hunter, having that gleam in its eyes. The glee of finding fresher prey and it lunges._

The young hunter takes an involuntary step back and it proves to be his mistake as he loses his footing. The Alpha chances on the opportunity and lunges, sinking its teeth into hunter's right shoulder, shaking its head in an attempt to rend flesh from bone. The hunter's coat had proven itself to be sturdy enough to hold the hunter's form, but is was not invulnerable: blood staining the Alpha's mouth. The hunter grits his teeth, a yell caught in his throat but something refuses to let it out. His free hand makes a vain attempt of fighting back; going for the red eyes locked on him, and is successful as the Alpha releases him: blood for blood. He can feel the pain in his shoulder alleviate slightly, and while he's unsure how, turns his attention back to the Alpha. He looks around at the encircling pack and takes notice of their non-interference: it seems lesser beasts follow dominance order.

The Alpha growls, keeping its distance from an unarmed prey that can fight back. The young hunter prepares to dodge another attack until a resounding crack fills the air. A familiar sound, one made by a firearm.

A red blur fills his vision and the beast behind the Alpha falls into bisections, blood spilling onto the ground. Blood. There's something about that scarlet liquid that seems... oddly enticing.

"Are you... alright?" a voice asks in between tired breaths and his attention turns back to the young girl before him. A pale face framed by the red tinge hair, silver eyes regarding him before turning back to the beasts. Her body is covered by a red hood which doesn't inhibit her movement and sways in the breeze. But the most surprising thing to the hunter was how young she was, have seen no more than fourteen winters, maybe fifteen. What could she be doing here? How did she get here? His eyes regard the tool she wields, and a pang of regret pierces his heart.

An unusual looking scythe of great size is held in her small hands. Its blades are colored with a similar theme of the forest and… evaporating? But the tool takes precedence of his thoughts. Why does this tool, her weapon, strike a terrible sense of worry within him? Pain continues to surge through his head until she speaks once more. "You're bleeding."

"Yes. I am." His response is gruff, tired from the constant running.

"Will you be alright?" the hooded girl asks. Strange, shouldn't she be concerned with herself rather than him? The hunter only nods and forces her behind him, a gesture he does subconsciously.

"Wha- what are you doing!?" she exclaims, trying take her place in front of him, but is forced back.

"Protecting you," the hunter responds keeping his eyes on the Alpha and intent on not making another mistake.

"But you're unarmed! And bleeding!" she exclaims, struggling against his arm.

"And still alive," he counters and begins to mirror the Alpha's movement: slow and cautious, encircling to keep each other in sight.

"And outnumbered!" she exclaims, finally breaking from his protective hold and stands alongside him, weapon poised. "Look," she begins, "I can handle myself. But I can't protect you if you won't let me. You can't face the Alpha alone!" she says, hoping to sway the hunter.

"It is not the Alpha I'm concerned about at the moment…" he says, noting how agitated the lesser of the beasts had turned with the young girl's arrival.

"What do you mean?" she asks, her eyes drifting from beast to beast.

"The smaller ones, what do you see?" the hunter asks.

"There's a lot of them."

"And?"

"And they're hunting us?"

"Not us. You."

The hooded girl pauses, and turns her head slightly to the young hunter. Her eyes inquire an explanation. He keeps her close to him, but not restraining his own range of movement.

"Since your appearance, they have stopped waiting for an opportunity to attack me. Those eyes… have made you their priority." His eyes take a furtive glance and confirm that the lesser of beasts have indeed locked their attention to the young girl.

"But with my skill, I can take them on!" she tries to explain. But the hunter knew better: her breath was just as staggering, having run a great distance to meet him, and her grip beginning to loosen. If her skill, whatever mystery it was, caused her to come his aid so quickly, then the hunter assumed it would also work against her.

"Tell me: what sort of protector is just as tired as the one she is trying to protect?"

And the hooded girl finally understands: the pack had decided to divide their prey. But he felt her determination in her next few words.

"One who continues to stand her ground, even if he is stubborn."

The young hunter couldn't help but smile at her tenacity.

"If you want to protect me," the hunter begins, "then do as I say."

* * *

Ruby stands back to back with the injured hunter. Her eyes dance between the Beowolves encircling them, taking special attention to one brave enough to come close.

"Dodge how I say, when I say," the hunter says with an authority Ruby has felt on few occasions. His tone is reminiscent of her uncle Qrow's character: demanding to be obeyed and followed to the letter. Ruby nods and returns her attention back to the pack. She saw one Beowolf begin to twitch with anticipation and began to rear itself back.

"Duck!" the hunter calls out and she follows him under the Alpha's strike and watches at the claw meets its mark across a mid-air Beowolf. Ruby hears a sickening snap as the momentum of the strike forces the lesser Beowolf's head swivel at an awkward angle, launching it away and never rising after it fell. The Alpha they were dealing with was not to be trifled with.

"Roll to the side!" Ruby mirrored the hunter's motion and rolled left. Two Beowolves lunged at her only to meet the Alpha head on its trajectory. The three collide in midair and taking the opportunity, Ruby uses her semblance to strike down three Beowolves in the outer circle before reconnecting with the injured hunter, him ducking under another swipe and kicking the beast away. Five down, fifteen remains.

"Is that the skill of which you spoke highly of?" the injured hunter inquired, his eyes refocused on the Alpha.

"My semblance? Yeah." Ruby couldn't help but feel the pride in her words. She was still unmatched on that front, yet was still not enough to best Pyrrha during their sparring matches.

"Then try not abuse its use." The hunter simply said, before ordering her to duck once more under the Alpha's strike and again killing another Beowolf mid-air and knocking it away. Fourteen left.

"I did just take down three of them you know," Ruby replied, unappreciative of the hunter's disregard of her speed. He merely shook his head.

"And how tired are you now?" he asked. And it was true: Ruby's momentary victory had worn her out more. She couldn't respond to his question, but she knew he was right. Still, if she were to dwindle down their numbers, they would have a small chance of taking down the Alpha.

"Were you alone on your way here?" the hunter had asked. Ruby mentally slapped herself, completely forgetting the teams she had left behind.

"No, my team and another should be on their way soon—"

"DODGE!"

Ruby reflexively dodged another lunging Beowolf, only to meet the swipe of another behind it. Her body took the brunt of the strike, aura working to prevent any bleeding, but the force of it had knocked her down and depleting her reserves. Her eyes looked up and saw a raised paw come down on her defenseless form. Ruby shuts her eyes; anticipating claws but a weight had thrown itself over her. She heard fabric and flesh tearing, the injured hunter's cry of pain. His body shook with each consecutive slash the Beowolf had given out, before the Alpha tackled it mid-swing and effectively killing insubordination with a torn jugular.

Ruby never really took the time to look at the person she was supposed to save. His body, draped protectively over her, began to bleed profusely through his grey coat. His face was hidden behind a face wrap, and hair (an unusual shade grey) tucked away under a torn tri-fold cap. But his eyes, despite reflecting the pain of his wounds, filled with a determination to protect her. To protect the one whose was supposed to do the protecting. Those orange eyes burned with vindication, and a small hint of sadness.

A sound overheard roared and Ruby knew the bullheads had finally arrived.

She heard her teammates land safely followed by the tell tales signs of dust and explosions, dispersing the pack in confusion. Jaune and his team and dispersed into pairs with Pyrrha and himself taking the center and Nora and Ren firing form a distance. Alongside them was Yang, her fiery punches knocking beasts away whole or in pieces. Weiss and Blake worked in tandem, after images and dust carving a path to Ruby and the injured hunter.

"We are going to have words when we get back Ruby Rose!" Weiss yells as she helps the hunter to his feet, Blake keeping a perimeter of safety around them.

"He's badly injured! He needs medical attention!" Ruby calls out, picking up Crescent Rose and joining in the fight to lessen the pack's numbers.

"We KNOW that but the bullhead can't land until area is clear!" Weiss says, trying to apply healing dust to the hunter's wounds. The crystal wasn't responding to the hunter's body and Weiss found herself confused. She applied her aura to activate it once more. She can feel the crystal activate but the injuries weren't responding. This hunter's aura wasn't responding.

 _"A Huntsman with his aura still locked?"_ Weiss thought, switching from dust crystal to applying practical first aid.

"Then we just have to," Yang throws a right hook at another Beowolf, "do a little clean up!" Blake and Ruby nodded, keeping the creatures away from the downed hunter. Both teams were effective in exterminating numbers of Grimm in the field, and with the head of the pack on its own, success nearly theirs.

Then the Alpha howled, drawing the lines between a quick victory to a gravely, strenuous one.

Jaune remembered what an Alpha Beowolf's howl meant and as he looked around, so did the others. While Port's lectures tending to be overbearing and self serving, bits of wisdom were hidden among them and they did remember the grave face he had made on the subject matter:

 _"While Beowolves may be more dangerous in large numbers, it is the Alpha of which you students should be mostly concerned with. It is unknown why the Alpha holds such dominance over the others: maybe due to seniority and a stronger will for self preservation, or something more innate to their primal nature. But be wary of the Alpha's howl. When cornered or facing defeat, an Alpha may resort to calling for the aid of other Beowolves and those not found in a pack are compelled to heed the call. The reception may be small and manageable, but if not… Then you're left with two options: slay the Alpha or run. If you can't adhere to either, then you will surely face death, for they will continue to come with each and every call."_

Jaune nodded towards Pyrrha and sounded the distress signal on his scroll before calling out to Ruby.

"Where's the Alpha? We have to take it down or we'll be overwhelmed!"

Ruby looked around in the chaos, trying to find the largest of the Grimm but found none.

"I don't know," she called back. "It was just here a moment ago!"

"How can we," Yang round house kicks another wolf and follows with an uppercut, "lose something that big?!"

"I don't know, but we have to find—"

"REN!" Nora's distressed yell rings out and they turned to see her stand before a downed Ren, and the Alpha before her avoiding the hammer's swing. She does her best to grain ground, but the Alpha proves to be faster than she can strike, ducking under a horizontal swing and head butting her off her feet. It rears its head back for a lethal bite before a bronze blur strikes and rebounds off the bony face plate. It turns to see Pyrrha call her shield back with her polarity, her partner readily at her side.

It breaks into a sprint toward their direction and the pair split of to either side, drawing blood with each slash and strike. But it isn't enough to cripple its movement. It turns on the spot, swiping at Jaune just as is shield is raised. Pyrrha takes the open vulnerability to strike, but the Alpha makes a quick backhand strike and disarms Miló from her hand. It begins to pursue her and forces the champion to dodge each strike, Jaune intercepting with his shield and pushes the claw back, allowing them to regroup.

More Beowolves begin to emerge from the edge of the clearing, carefully deciding which of them to overwhelm, before joining the fray of battle. Ruby notices that Nora is struggling to stand and protect Ren and sends Blake there to provide support, leaving her and Weiss to tend to the hunter. Yang joins in on distracting the Alpha with Pyrrha and Jaune, but to no success. The heiress casts defensive glyphs around them and attempts to provide support from her position, but her spells lose accuracy with each cast. Ruby picks off as many beasts as she can with weapon in rifle mode, but she notes decreasing amount of loaded magazines in her pouch.

"There's too many of them!" Weiss calls out and Ruby knows. The amount of Grimm coming from the forest is beginning to be too much for even two first year teams. They haven't made any substantial damage on the Alpha and are nowhere close to creating an escape route, especially with a critically wounded hunter. Their chances had turn for the worse, and she began to doubt the possibility of their survival.

A leather gloved hand takes the rifle from her hold, and in Ruby's surprise finds the injured hunter take aim at the Alpha and fire with precision.

"What are you doing!?" Weiss shouts, hoping to reason with him.

"Saving your lives," he responds as he empties the clip and motions for Ruby to reload he weapon for him. She replaces the magazine, loads another round and is swiftly taken back from her once more. Had it been any other situation, any other person, Ruby would have been frantic in getting her precious weapon back.

"And how can you save us in your state!?" Weiss' voice reached a point of shrill indignation.

"Like this," the hunter says as he fires round after round at the Alpha's head. It chips away at the bony plate, one successfully finding its way into the Alpha's eye. The beast beast howls in pain and turns to hunter with its full attention. He tosses Ruby's weapon back to her and breaks into a half run, half limp to the closest tree line.

"Come, you brute! You have yet to finish me off!" the hunter calls. Ruby and Weiss are stunned at how he can move with his injuries, doubly so how he made himself its only target. Both girls made a motion to follow but he suddenly called back to them.

"Stay and defend your friends! The beast wants me!" And the hunter suddenly disappears into the tree line. Another howl cries out, but the nature of it isn't out of desperation, but frustration. The Alpha breaks away from Pyrrha, Yang, and Jaune and makes a full sprint after the hunter, disappearing into after the injured hunter, leaving both teams to deal with the oncoming stragglers.

"We can't leave him!" Ruby cried out to her partner, her eyes turning back to where the hunter disappeared.

"And we can't leave our team!" Weiss tried to reason with her partner.

Ruby knew she couldn't let an injured hunter become bait for their sake, but it had bought them the time they needed to stave of the onslaught until help arrived. Ruby shook her head. She didn't agree with their current situation, but she had her responsibilities. She shifted Crescent Rose into its scythe form and joined the rest of her friends in their battle of attrition.

* * *

A considerable amount of time had passed before the arrival of another bullhead depositing the second year team CFVY and Professors Goodwitch and Oobleck. They had successfully eliminated the surge of oncoming Beowolves and with field having been cleared of all threats; all members were to report to both professors.

The collectively stood before a concerned Oobleck and an irate Goodwitch and as Jaune relayed the events to them.

"A stranded Huntsman you say," Oobleck asked.

"Yes professor," Jaune had said and continued his hasty debriefing.

"Ruby and I picked up his position en route toward the mission's drop off. The bullhead's scan had shown he was being pursued by a large pack of Beowolves with the Alpha as the lead and when we couldn't get our pilots to turn around and assist him…"

Jaune paused in his recounting, deciding privately to himself, and says, "… **I** ordered Ruby to drop first in order to intercept the pack while we followed."

The whole group looked towards Jaune with a mixture of surprise and confusion, especially Ruby herself. She couldn't understand why Jaune would try to take the blame for her hasty decision, let alone blatantly lie in front of Goodwitch herself. The blonde professor took note of the team's reaction and confronted Jaune himself.

"Is that the truth Mr. Arc? You are in no way trying to cover for Miss Rose's misstep?" Goodwitch watched as Jaune squared his shoulders and locked eyes with her as he nodded.

"Mr. Arc, I must remind you that altering the truth of the events, in any way or form, would deem punishment of much severity. This is especially so if your story does not match with both your pilots." Everyone saw as Jaune's face blanches at forgotten factor, but he decided to double down on his lie. He had done so before with his transcripts, so what would be another, he internally felt.

"The pilots were placed in a compromising position," he began, "and they were forced uphold their directives in preserving our safety. And while it seemed Ruby acted on her own accord, it was me who told her to meet up with the target as we would follow behind."

Both Jaune's and Goodwitch's gaze did not break, a silent stare down testing the young leader's constitution in the face of true authority. She knew the young man was lying, but it would be something Ozpin would deal with himself and simply nodded. She turned to face Ruby and Weiss.

"And the whereabouts of the huntsman?" she asked. The rest of the group had grown quiet before Weiss spoke up.

"He… had gained the attention of the Alpha and used himself as bait to lure it away, giving us advantage of avoiding another of its howl."

Goodwitch frowned at her answer.

"But what of his condition?" inquired Oobleck.

Weiss paused in her response. "Critical and in need of medical attention..."

"And _he_ was the one who drew the Alpha away?" Oobleck pressed on.

"Yes professor…"

The air went still as the professors understood at the possible outcome. Goodwitch pulled out her scroll and regarded to the green haired, coffee connoisseur.

"Bartholomew, can you track down the Alpha and hopefully find our missing huntsman?" He nodded and began to set off before Ruby chimed in. "Let me come with you," she pleaded but was stopped with a sharp gaze from Goodwitch.

"I believe you had done enough, Miss Rose." She had said, typing away a message on her scroll the headmaster and awaited a response.

"But he's my responsibility! I can't just stay here and—"

"And you allowed your responsibility to sacrifice himself for you and your friends." The professor's words struck Ruby with ice, the disappointment laced in those words. "Now if you would please—"

"That's quite alright, Professor Goodwitch." Oobleck interjected, much to her surprise.

"If you are able Miss Rose, then you may come along. And if I may also borrow your assistance as well Miss Belladonna?" He turned to face the bow wearing huntress in training, being the least injured out of team RWBY. She nodded and began to follow the professor, turning back briefly to give both Weiss and Yang a knowing look. Ruby reluctantly followed suit, taking the opening the Oobleck had provided and began their trek into the forest to find the missing hunter.

Blake proved to be very competent in tracking, her faunus heritage granter her higher sight perception which greatly helped the trio's efforts in following the path left behind the hunter and Alpha. The came across the occasional blood splatter and torn trunks of tree, but nothing decisive came about in the condition of the missing man. They indicated missing strikes the Alpha had made towards its prey, unsuccessful so far and growing in agitation as the damage left behind grew more savage. And throughout their search, no words were exchanged: Blake opted to focus more on tracking and the professor decided to let Ruby sort her thoughts out before having any say.

Ruby felt conflicted with the turn of events and her part in it. She truly felt she could have saved him without the end resulting in… this. She felt she could have protected an unarmed and injured man, but it had been her who needed the saving, her and the rest of their teams. She had left the bullhead with the good intentions, but it had been hasty and costly. And Ruby began to have her doubts.

"Do not falter Miss Rose," the professor finally speaking up. Her attention shot up towards him as they continued forth. "I'm sure you acted as any Huntsman and Huntress would in your situation. And despite the foolishness to go alone," Ruby's head slumped down, "you certainly acted to the best of your abilities. You protected him, and he you. There have been no fatalities so far, and, as he is _your_ responsibility, let us ensure it stays that way."

Ruby nodded and continued to follow Blake and the professor forward. Despite the trail growing more gruesome, she had held a strong hope he had survived. He moved with the familiarity of handling beasts and his decisions during the heat of battle were not of a newly instated hunter. Her faith had stayed even upon their arrival of a Forever Fall cliff side.

It held fast after the tracks indicated a fight and eventually both disappearing over the cliff and into the rapids far below. She remained adamant despite Oobleck's discovery of the hunter's ruined hat hanging on an outcropping, his grave tone notifying Goodwitch of their findings and calling in for a search party from Beacon. She was determined he'd be okay, even after she and Blake were escorted back to the academy with their team, and still no word of his whereabouts. She was sure he would be found, after landing on Beacon's helipad, refusing to seek additional medical attention, and opting to stand alongside Headmaster Ozpin in silence for any word. Ruby Rose wished the injured hunter she encountered would be found safe, avoiding the thought of tallying the number of people who protected and left her up to two.

When the search and rescue bullhead returned to Beacon after what felt to be an eternity, she watched as they escorted a broken and battered figure to the medical ward: body soaked, limbs at awkward angles, and too many necessary tubes and needles trying to sustain what was left.

In her silence, Ruby Rose began to doubt.

* * *

Somewhere further down river, far from where the search and rescue had found the young hunter's beached body, the Alpha drags itself to shore. It had been terribly wounded in the chase after its wounded prey, each slash and swipe growing more feral and uncontrolled. It had been when the Alpha drew its victim's blood did it feel something strange, something unnatural.

It wasn't apparent at first, but the Alpha grew more agitated with every attempt to kill its prey failing. It had hunted and killed prey of this kind before, and often from the innate nature of wanted to kill with intent. But now, something commanded it to hunt, to kill, to tear flesh and drink the blood of this wily prey. And **_only_** this prey. Something in its blood called to the Alpha and it desired so desperately to hunt it once more.

The Alpha felt itself grow sick as something within it forced its body to convulse violently, frothing at the mouth, and vomiting the contents of its stomach: a red visceral matter. Limbs flayed wildly as grew longer and sleeker, fur growing wild and mangy, claws and fangs becoming larger and sharper, the bone plating on its face cracking. Its body was stretching beyond what its skin could hold and blood began to spill as the Alpha's new form demanded much more room. It gave a guttural growl, before slinking back into the forest.

* * *

 **A/N: The reception for the prologue was small but very encouraging. It spurred me on to write this chapter as soon as I could and I feel pretty good about it, despite it being quite long. I hope to answer some of your questions to the best of my abilities:**

 **1) I decided not to mark this story as a crossfiction (temporarily) due to the way I felt the story's focus would go. While I would use elements from Bloodborne itself, the primary setting would take up stock in the RWBY-verse with its world, characters, and interactions. I just hope the elements I do add don't detract from the overall story but if you feel it may be better to mark it as crossfiction, I'll switch it up by next chapter.**

 **2) I do plan on using the presence of Lovecraftian Great Ones in this story, and adding the themes and trimmings that would most solely focus on aspects of madness and terror. But it's still too early to introduce those elements and the Great Ones to the fullest and any Great One I use will have to be creatively self made (which worries me) as the Eldritch presence used in Bloodborne should reside there: think of RWBY and Bloodborne as separate planes, and the entity which attacked the the Hunter's dream comes solely from the RWBY-verse.**

 **There's still a lot of ideas and concepts I wish to add into my story, and I look forward to each and every review you leave. It certainly helps focus on what's important and what you feel could use improvement. Until next time.**


	3. Unwarranted Arrival

**A/N: And here were are again. I've made some edit changes and updates in the previous chapters to clear up any grammatical errors or plot holes I felt detracted from the story. In any case, let us begin.**

* * *

Ruby walked with Ozpin back to his office in silence, her mind swirling with worry and dread. As they stepped into the elevator, she couldn't help but feel she had a hand in the hunter's worsening state.

Both she and the headmaster had followed what remained of him to the academy's medical ward. Indistinguishable words were being traded back and forth during her state of shock, terms and phrases muddled as her eyes never left the gurney: his left leg in a splint, gruesome lumps beneath the coat of his left arm and his right arm bent upward at the joint. His body was tightly fastened to the gurney, and Ruby overheard something from the medical staff about spinal injuries. She shuddered at the growing severity. She had been halted from following further and she watched as his body was rolled away to be prepped for surgery. She didn't know when the headmaster had gently led her away.

The sound of a bell signaled their stop and the doors opened to reveal the headmaster's office occupied with Professor Goodwitch, visiting general and fellow headmaster James Ironwood, and a nervous looking Jaune. They entered the room and as Ozpin made his away around to his desk, motioned for the two young leaders to take their seats. Goodwitch and Ironwood opted to wait off to the side and observe.

"Now," Ozpin began as he regarded the teens, "let us start from the beginning, shall we?"

Both Ruby and Jaune had recounted the events of their morning to their headmaster, detail by detail. This included Jaune's on the spot lie and Ruby felt even guiltier as Ozpin regarded Jaune with look, to which the team leader couldn't help but swallow his apparent nervousness. When they finished, Ozpin merely bridged his hands together and sat in silence, formulating his thoughts. Ruby gripped at the edges of her skirt while Jaune's anxiety began to manifest into the sounds of foot tapping. Ozpin cleared his throat and both teens looked up to receive what could invariably be their punishment.

"Mr. Arc," Ozpin began as Jaune flinched at the call of his name, "while it is admirable you would take the blame for Miss Rose's mistake, it is simply unethical and unprofessional to alter even a small portion of what transpired. I have taken the liberty of cross-referencing your accounts to your pilot and she has confirmed you have made no such order."

Jaune felt his entire body slump at the headmaster's words. Ozpin continued on.

"While you two are training to become Huntsman and Huntress respectively, you must also remember that the role itself is a symbol to the people you protect: you stand for vigilance, morality, and above all else, integrity. Breaching any of these principals dishonors the many before you two who have sacrificed much for the present we have today."

Ozpin's eyes take a quick glance to his compatriots in the room, noting Goodwitch's habit of averting eye contact and James' involuntary shoulder shrug of the arm he once had. They and the other professors of Beacon had faced much in their time as young Hunters, and their involvement during the war brought many unwanted memories. His eyes return to the teen before finding Jaune's filled with a new sense of vigor.

"B-But I still believe what Ruby did was right," Jaune had stated while his voice faltering slightly. Ozpin raised an eyebrow at the young boy's claim.

"She disregarded the mission's parameter," Ozpin noted.

"With all due respect, sir, I would have done the same." Jaune's confidence had bled through into his words and surprised the adults in the room. He was often perceived to be the weakest in the academy; his strength and aura often touch and go, but had shown considerable growth during his stay. Even if that meant Jaune was being unintentionally brash in the headmaster's presence. Ozpin could only smile.

"You mean to tell me you would also abandon your team, Mr. Arc?"

"Well I wouldn't intentionally—"

"And not only abandon them but place yourself in danger as well with no support?"

"I, uh…"

"And as your teams fought the oncoming Beowolves this morning, you both had forgotten the pilots waiting for you in the air in _transport_ ships with no means of self defense."

"Um…"

"Despite being capable in combat, you not only put yourselves and your team in danger but the lives of your pilots as well. Had a flock of sizable Nevermore flown by, those two wouldn't have made it back safely. You're quite bold Mr. Arc."

"Aha ha ha..." Jaune could only nervously chuckle as he ran his hand through his air. From the corner of their sight, Goodwitch began to massage her temples in frustration. Ozpin then turns to Ruby.

"Would you like to add anything Miss Rose?" he inquired. Ruby had remained silent throughout her entire presence there but whispered her response.

"I killed him… didn't I?"

Silence followed while her words had sunk in. True, mostly everyone came out somewhat unscathed on _their_ end. But the same could not be said for the man they had found and brought back. His state had been a reminder of the risks in their line of work, in fighting alone. It was no short of a miracle he had been found at all, barely breathing with an echo of a beat from his heart. But there were no guarantees if he could pull through.

"And what makes you say that?" Ozpin inquired. He felt a great sadness in watching the young girl blame herself. A hopeful youth with dreams of becoming a great protector questioned her ability in the face of reality. And while the role of a Huntsman and Huntress were primarily to fight the creatures of Grimm, they were often tasked with the cruel work of hunting people as well: bandits outside the kingdoms, terrorists within, and Hunters who've gone rogue. He had hoped it wouldn't have been so soon, but the moment had come for the young reaper.

" **I** was supposed to protect **him** , not the other way around," Ruby said as tears began to form in her eyes but pushed onward.

"While we were cornered, a Beowolf blindsided me. I had to use up a lot of my aura to catch up and the surprise had depleted it all... When it was supposed to hurt me, he jumped in the way. He… *hic* he took those hits over and… over for me when… *hic* our teams arrived." Ruby began to sniffle, voice cracking.

"Even then… He still *hic* protected us! **He** drew away the Alpha! **He** bought us time!" her voice escalating.

"I didn't *hic* know he didn't have his aura unlocked! I didn't know and he… He...!" The young girl could no longer hold in her tears and began to sob into her hands. Jaune had looked away, feeling equally responsible for not have done better to change their outcome. But Ruby had felt she had forced that hunter to throw his life. If only she had planned ahead. If only she had been stronger, faster. If only she hadn't been taken by surprise, if only… If only.

She felt a pair of hand slip under hers, cupping her cheeks and tilting her head up. Ozpin had knelt before her and began wiping away the tears with his thumb. Ruby felt a strange warmth in them, comforting, and of home.

"Ruby," Ozpin said, making sure her eyes were on his, "I can assure you that you did no such thing."

"But I—!" she began to protest before the headmaster stopped her.

"He saw the situation grow dire and acted on his own accord. _He_ decided to protect you and your friends, knowing his own outcome. And like you, he exhibited the true values of a Huntsman by placing you all as his priority. Whether or not he survives this, you shouldn't feel as if you condemned him to his death."

Ruby's eyes continued to show signs of disbelief. She didn't want to think about the injuries he had sustained or how unnatural his limbs had looked. But she was reminded of fragile his life was, how easily broken his body had become. Just like her mother's…

"Do you remember how he was found?" Ozpin had asked. She nodded her head.

"So what does it tell you that he was found with grievous wounds, beached on a riverbank after a severe fall, and still breathing albeit slightly?" Ruby had given his questions some thought. It was truly strange to her, how someone without aura could go through some much and still be alive by a small thread.

"It means he's *hic* tough," Ruby had replied, trying to control her short breaths. Ozpin smiled and nods.

"He's tough and rather tenacious. I don't believe our guest will be willing to die anytime soon. So don't take the current situation to close to heart." Ozpin releases his hold on her face as he stands, and ruffles her hair. "Learn from your mistakes and better yourself. We stumble, only to grow." Ozpin returned to his desk.

"The situation had ended well with no fatalities. I will give both your teams passing marks on today's mission." Both Ruby and Jaune looked at their headmaster with confusion as a holographic recording lit up from his desk. It had shown a map of their flight towards their mission's drop point.

"And while you two disregarded the parameters of your mission," Ozpin pressed another switch, "I think it's fair to say your extermination targets had crossed your paths earlier than expected." The map had then shown the Beowolf's positions to originally reside near the teams' drop off point before give chase away, and crossing paths with the oncoming bullheads. Ozpin had sent Port ahead to plant motion sensors to ensure the pack hadn't gone to close to the village requesting their assistance.

"Strange isn't it?" Ozpin voiced to the room.

"Still," he turned back to the teens, "I believe supplementary lessons with Professor Port should suffice as punishment for today's actions." With that gave them permission to leave and attended the remainder of their classes for the day.

Before Jaune had entered the elevator, Ozpin added, "Oh and Mr. Arc? Try not to make a habit out of lying. It wouldn't do for you to be expelled over such a thing now, would we?" Jaune audibly gulped and nodded to the headmaster as the doors closed and the lift descended.

Quiet fell in the room before Ozpin voiced his concerns.

"Is Miss Rose right about his lack of aura," he had asked Goodwitch who had long since been observing the data received from the medical ward.

"I'm afraid so," she responded. "But without the protection of aura, I find it very disturbing to see he's survived through so much, even with adrenaline. It's almost… unnatural." She had sent a copy of the data to Ozpin and began to display itself on the holograms: condition, medication used, operation procedure. The headmaster was forced to agree as the amount of bodily harm should have killed any ordinary man.

"And what of Atlas' registry on licensed Huntsman?" he turned to asks Ironwood. The old general could only shake his head in disbelief.

"There's nothing on record with his description."

Ozpin input a series of keystrokes onto his desk's interface, applying the same information to Vale's registry and found nothing as well.

"Hmm… Do you think you can get us a copy of Vacuo and Mistral's registry on their hunters?" the headmaster asked.

Ironwood frowned at his request. "That would be overstepping a lot of boundaries: security measures and the like. What you're asking of me may be too much and you're already on thin ice with the council as it is, Oz." Ironwood felt the need to remind his oldest friend and despite the numerous times Ozpin had proved him to be a superior hunter and even greater leader, but his enigmatic methods left many unsure.

"I'm quite aware James," Ozpin replied, eyes never leaving the data. "But you know as well as I do that unforeseen factors and variables are to be taken cautiously."

"He could be simply be an unregistered Hunter," Goodwitch had added, "and gods know those 'heroic' fools often cause trouble to the Hunter's Association registry from time to time."

Ozpin shook his head. "What worries me more was where he was found when it all started." Both Ironwood and Goodwitch remained quiet, allowing him to continue. "It cannot simply be mere coincidence he had gotten the Beowolf pack's attention at team RWBY and JNPR's mission location. Nor was it his chase led to meet them a part of the way in their arrival." The headmaster formed his hands together, as his companions finally caught on to what he implied.

"You don't think," Goodwitch began.

"…that he used the situation to get close to the students and the academy itself?" Ozpin finished. "It would be too much of a possibility to disregard." He finally turned his chair to face them.

"We need to ascertain the true nature of our 'guest' before further action is to be taken. If he proves to be of no threat to the academy and the kingdom, I'll grant him a brief asylum on school grounds."

"And if he truly is a threat?" Ironwood asks, knowing the nature of the next response.

"He'll be under your custody should his intentions prove so James."

* * *

The ride down from Ozpin's office was a quiet one and continued afterward as Ruby and Jaune made their way back to their dorm. Ruby mulling her thoughts over and Jaune kept silent company. Ruby came to a brief stop and turned to him.

"Why did you try to take the blame?" It wasn't unusual for Jaune to stick up for his friends, though Ruby did find his stunt odd. And adding to her surprise, Jaune smiled.

"Well, we're friends right? And friends watch out for each other," he concluded simply and began to walk. Ruby had pulled on his sleeve to stop and he turned to find her expression serious.

"You could have been kicked out of Beacon Jaune," Ruby reasoned, "or worse!" While Jaune understood her curiosity for his actions, he couldn't help but feel strangely concerned for what _"or worse"_ implied. They wouldn't really make problem students disappear. Right?

"So why, Jaune?" she asked once more.

Jaune resigned himself to a sigh and confided the truth to her.

"It's because I couldn't leave you behind," he finally confessed. He had hoped it was enough of an explanation, Jaune realized his response had more or less left her with more questions.

"Remember earlier in the year when Cardin was bullying me?" he elaborated. "When I was having trouble with my leadership and…team?" Jaune still felt guilty he had allowed himself to be bullied and pushed away his team when they were concerned.

Ruby nodded and Jaune continued further.

"Well, despite how I've been during those days, you didn't leave me behind. Even my team stopped asking and gave me room to sort it out on my own but you… You didn't leave me behind."

Jaune ran his hand through his hair and Ruby noted how he often did that when he was nervous or embarrassed.

"I made the mistake of pushing everyone away when I needed help," he began, "and you could have just left me in that hallway so I could deal with it on my own. But you didn't. You stayed behind to help. And with what happened today, I realized that I couldn't just let you take all the blame by yourself." Jaune's face had grown confident during his explanation.

"You made a mistake, and Goodwitch can be pretty scary with her punishments," he conceded. "But I believed you did the right thing, and if taking the blame meant you'd get a lesser punishment, I'd dealt with it you know?"

Ruby felt his hand rest on her shoulder, his grip that was firm but consoling.

"Just don't run off on your own next time, alright? Friends fight and stick together."

Ruby finally understood why Jaune stood up for her. It wasn't just her team she had worried but Jaune's as well. All of them had grown close over the first half of their semester, sharing many meals, classes, and missions together. And while they had conversed and befriended many of the other teams and students, RWBY and JNPR had established themselves as a tight knit family of friends who watched each other's back. Even if Ruby's sense of justice had been rightfully placed, she had left her family behind in doing so. Had the situation been any worse, the rest of her friends would have to worry about two people in critical conditions than one.

Ruby pulled Jaune in for a hug, burying her face into his breastplate armor.

"Thanks Jaune," she mumbled as her hold on him tightened. The blonde leader could only chuckle as he returned the gesture.

"No problem Ruby."

They pulled apart and Jaune felt the need to add something to further lighten her mood.

"And hey, it's a good thing you have a landing strategy! I was beginning to worry _'Crater Face'_ would become more than just a nickname."

Jaune felt a swift jab to his side and keeled over slightly, looking up to find Ruby's cheeks puffed and face red. _"It's better than her moping I guess,"_ he thought to himself. Though for someone as small as her, Jaune felt relieved she couldn't pack as much a punch as Yang. He nervously laughed in response and began to make his way over to medical ward.

"I'm gonna go check on Ren and Nora before heading off to class. Someone's has to take notes for them," he said over his shoulder and waved her off. Ruby stuck her tongue at his retreating back but smiled. She decided to not remind Jaune that he had been the one to initiate their friendship on their first day at Beacon. He had reached out first and he continued to still be an honest knight through and through.

Ruby turned to make her way towards her dorm to face the other three members of her team, having still needed to apologize for her actions. On her way though, other students had given her strange looks, often double-taking at her form and she looked to see she still wore today's battle on her body. Her clothes and hood stained with blood, his blood. She began to feel bad but refocused her thoughts to the door of her room. She took a deep breath and entered to find her teammates expectant look.

* * *

After their return to Beacon, Blake had a hard time convincing both Yang and Weiss to give Ruby her space. She knew they were both understandably furious with their young leader, but from what she observed in their trek through the forest… Blake felt Ruby needed sometime to collect her thoughts before coming to them. Ruby's determined expression had turns somber when they had discovered what happened. Her silence on the trip back attested to the amount of guilt that began to build inside her and Blake hoped their headmaster would just as equally comfort Ruby as well as scold her. They left her alone on the launch pad with the headmaster as the three of them made their way back to clean up and wait for the return of their leader.

"Cleaning up" meaning the young heiress was constantly yelling at her and Yang of how irresponsible Ruby had been over her shower. It continued even as Blake had taken her turn for the bathroom, Weiss' tone never letting up, and upon her exit (cleaned and dressed) was surprised she had continued her rant as the heiress brushed her snow white hair.

"She has the NERVE to j-just leave us there!" Weiss had cried indignantly, continuing to brush the long locks of her hair.

"We get it Weiss, give it a rest," Yang said as she cleaned out Ember Celica. The brawler had yet to get into cleaner clothes but decided to wait for Ruby instead, fine tuning the parts of her gauntlets. But Yang herself her felt her own worry for Ruby grow. She knew her sister had a strong sense of heroism but it can get out of hand. She didn't think her sister would just readily leave them behind just to be a hero, but Yang knew Ruby was prone to finding trouble, intentional or not.

Blake watched the two of them from her bed until she heard footsteps approach their door and come to a stop.

"She's here," she said. Both Yang and Weiss turned to see the door open and Ruby entered, sporting a remorseful look and blood on her clothes. She stood before the three of them in silence, and Blake could see Weiss' anger grow as both hands folded into tight fists. But instead of shouting, she huffed and turned her back to Ruby. Yang was the first to broach the topic with her sister, pulling her into a hug, followed by an aggressive headlock Ruby flailed her arms about, trying to break free.

"Yang! What are you doing?" She asked, trying to escape.

"Just reminding my little sister how mad I am with her," Yang chided and Ruby's body slumped in her hold. Yang released her and helped her stand, red eyes meeting silver. As her older sister, Yang didn't believe it necessary for words to be said. Ruby more or less understood her mistake from Ozpin himself and she decided to let her younger sister know she was just as frustrated. But Ruby was just that: her little sister, the one she had more or less raised when things were difficult at home.

With a resigned sigh, Yang's eyes returned back to their lilac color and held her sister close. She wouldn't let anything happen to her if she could help. She wouldn't allow any more people to disappear.

"I swear, you get into more trouble than I do sometimes," Yang said as she let Ruby go. Ruby looked up to see her expression soften but firm in her familial authority.

"Do it again, and I'll personally **dismantle** Crescent Rose." Yang had warned and believed it to be enough. Yang could also let their father and uncle know, but they were just as over protective of the young girl as she was. It is one thing to have an over bearing sister, but an overly protectively father and an equally threatening uncle would drive away prospective dates. Not that she'd allow them near Ruby per se but Ruby was bound to garner someone's attention eventually. She'd let it slide for now.

Ruby had turned to Blake and before she could say anything, the young cat girl was before her. Blake put both her hands on Ruby's shoulders and simply nodded having nothing much to say. Blake had already forgiven Ruby and wouldn't hold it against her. Ruby was first and foremost honest and if Blake felt the young reaper had reflected on her actions, her support would be enough of an answer. Blake stepped aside so Ruby could finally address the last of them.

"Weiss?" Ruby asked as she approached. Before she could reach out, Weiss broke away from her reach and stormed off into the bathroom. Various noises were heard, things clattering out of their place and believing her partner had chosen to ignore her was surprised when a towel hit face. Ruby looked up confused and was met with a resounding slap across her face. It stung and Ruby knew why.

From her partner's flushed and angered expression, Ruby felt her to be the furious of the three. Her white hair, despite being brushed, seemed frazzled in nature, clearly showing signs of worry and distress. Her hands were tightly clenched and her icy blue eyes narrow, and brimming with unshed tears. Before Ruby could get a word in edgewise, she felt her Weiss arms wrap around her, keeping the towel between them as to not dirty the already clean heiress.

"If you **EVER** do that again to us, to **me** , I will **PERSONALLY** hunt you down and punish you myself." She had yelled over Ruby's shoulder. Her grip tightened on the young reaper. "You already left me on that accursed Nevermore during Initiation! You are two-for-two Ruby Rose, and I swear you'll get it worse if you cross me one more time!"

Ruby felt Weiss' shoulders tremble slightly as she spoke, and returned her feelings with a hug of her own. Ruby didn't know much about Weiss' life before coming to Beacon. She had been abrasive to approach and too proud during their first few days in the academy. Weiss had proven hard to get along with and long before there was Team RWBY, it was only the two of them. But she had considerably softened over the months. She never spoke much about her family and Ruby felt her partner had found something familial in their team like she did. Ruby had felt bad when Weiss' worry over her forced her to break composure which was rarely done. And she promised to make it up to all of them.

"I promise Weiss." She said and as Weiss broke away, wiping the tears away from her face, regained her sense of dignity.

"Good," her partner simply stated. She gave a slight cough, business resuming as usual and held a hand out to Ruby.

"Now, take of your clothes," Weiss had ordered and Yang, despite the seriousness in the air couldn't be one to let an opportunity slide.

"Wow Weiss. You two are going to make up like _that_? Blake and I haven't left the room yet, you know?" Yang had teased, a grin forming after seeing the heiress' face turn a darker shade of red.

"Get your mind out of the gutter Xiao Long!" she snapped back. "Ruby needs to get cleaned up for the rest of our classes and not like that!" Weiss had gestured to the bloodstains on her clothes. Yang relented, keeping her hands in the air signaling her surrender. Ruby made her way to the bathroom and handed her discarded clothes to her team. Blake had gathered Ruby's clothes, before Yang followed her sister into the bathroom as well, much to Ruby's protest.

"Come on! It'll be just like old times!" her voice carried through the door. Before there could be any argument, the door swiftly open and shut, Yang's clothes thrown in Weiss' direction. "Thanks Ice Queen!" she had called back to the heiress and the sound of the shower muffled the rest of their conversation. Weiss fumed over having to do Yang's laundry as well but went with Blake anyways.

But something had bothered the young Belladonna. It was a scent, something foreign and foul coming from Ruby's clothes. And she wondered why she felt wary of the bloodstains in her hand.

* * *

A week went by and after the medical staff had brought the hunter to a stable sate, he did not wake. Ruby made frequent visits to check on him, but wasn't allowed to visit his room: at best she was given an obscure status of his health. After the incident of that morning, Ruby had trouble focusing with her classes and supplementary lessons. She had apologized to the rest of Jaune's team and after they had forgiven her, Ruby more or less became withdrawn. She participated less in class and in conversations. Her nights were restless, having the occasional nightmare of the hunter being devoured by the Alpha. Her teams and friends understood her concerns, trying their best to console the young girl but they could only do so much.

Yang had teased her occasionally, claiming Ruby had finally developed a crush with an older man. She went on to say how Ruby had been the hunter's shining knight and speculated how he would repay the young reaper when he woke (sparing no explicit detail). It had worked for a while, with Ruby chasing after her sister with an embarrassed look and intent on silencing baseless claims. But Ruby continued to worry.

By the second week, she wasn't sure if he would pull through. As she sat her last class of the evening, dust application, she felt something had gone wrong. Class was just about to end when a commotion outside had caught their attention. Someone was causing a scene near the academy's landing area. She didn't know or how, but Ruby felt that the hunter had awakened. She had left her belongings behind, using her speed to follow the commotion. A crowd had formed around the landing area and as she broke through, she found him alive and well.

His messy hair hung about his unshaven face and his medical gown swayed in the breeze. He was still alive with a nurse in his hold and a syringe poised at her throat.

* * *

Ozpin had been trying to identify the unknown man in his care, pouring over the copies of Mistral and Vacuo's registered Huntsman. After closing yet another file, he still couldn't find a name or face that fit the man in the last thirty years. And even stranger were the medical reports he received after the surgery's success and weekly update:

 _"Body is unresponsive to aura application and having previous scars."_

(Nature unknown, assumed to be from either animal or person encounter)

 _"Blood is rejecting any type being donated, and upon closer inspection, looked abnormal."_

(Foreign agents actively attacked the blood cells, leaving the patient's blood count critically low. Caution advised)

 _"Unusual tattoos underside the forearms."_

(Does not match any of the runes or insignia in their kingdom's historical records)

The headmaster contemplated the mystery before. No traceable ties on the network nor did he leave any specific impression in citizen or police reports. There was nothing about a grey haired young man with his physical features causing trouble or contributing to communities. He simply appeared.

A phone rang in his office, and seeing it was from the medical ward answered.

"H-headmaster Ozpin sir?" a young woman asked over the phone.

"What seems to be the problem Ms. Florence?" he asked. There was something about her tone. Panicked.

"We have a problem sir," she confessed. "The patient, he's… he's gone and one of the nurses, Kyra, didn't return from her break."

* * *

The young hunter had been a fool.

A bloody fool.

He was a beaten, bloodied, and mad fool for even taking on a great beast in such a dismal state. He didn't know where his coordination with the young girl had come from, feeling almost second nature with those motions. Eyes never leaving the monster in order to protect her and even in their mishap, continued to do so. Those claws had dug deep into his flesh, drawing so much blood.

"You know better than do something so foolish," somewhere in his mind a thought scolded him for such a novice mistake.

Still he had drawn it way from the children in the clearing. The young hunter had made himself the sole target has he made his way through the trees and underbrush, hearing the frantic breaths of his pursuer. Instinct kicking in, he had ducked under a flurry of slashes, the snapping of bark being torn apart. He pressed on. He pressed on know if he were to, the beast would return and wreak havoc on those children.

"To think you were one of us," another voice spoke in his mind as the events continued to play in his memories. Her voice was telling of great age and deeper insight.

In his memory, the hunter had reached a cliff side and his escape cut short. He had turned to greet the Alpha as it came to a stop, a smile curling at the edges. It believes it had won. It believes it has the hunter cornered. The beast lowers itself to the ground, muscles tensing and poised to lunge. The hunter had finally met his end, but he was forgetting something important. Something dire and needing him very much alive. The hunter settles himself into a crouch, preparing for the attack: his next move a very stupid gamble.

The Alpha lunges, claws extended in his direction. Time slows, and bated breath holds.

The hunter allows himself to fall back into a roll, feeling the passing weight of the beast over him. As his feet meet the abdomen of the Alpha, the hunter kicks with all his strength and propels the creature over the cliff. His roll however follows over the edge and he makes a hasty grab for any outcropping or edge he can, lest he plunge to rushing waters below. He hears the beast howl as it descends and his hand grips the edge of something, his discarded hat caught on something lower. The hunter hung, trying to pull himself up with his left hand but with his body greatly fatigued and wounded, it slips. His body bounces against the side of the cliff, body jolting with pain of joints and boned snapping before he breaks the waters surface. He didn't know when he beached on the river bank or if he pulled himself out, but he blacked out once again.

Now, the hunter was caught in a strange daze.

His vision was blurry, everything appearing to be white. It smelled sterile, and clean. The hunter tried to move his head, but his whole body cried out in pain.

"Hmph. I've sustained worse wounds and still walked," a gruff spoke, smelling faintly of ashes.

"Says the traitor," another adds.

The young hunter stirs, trying to find some way to stop the pain, the voices in his head. In his blurred sight, figures and shapes surround his body. Strangely shaped heads with tiny hands reaching out all over him, with vials in their fingers: vials holding a red liquid.

"He's already too far gone, to far tainted," a voice snickers in his mind. The voices begin to meld to together, and a cacophony of garbled words filled thought. The figures over him raise their arms collectively, awaiting some sort of order.

"No," a voice of authority silences the rest. "He'll survive… His eyes have yet to open."

The small figures above him bring their arms down and the hunter feels syringes pierce his flesh, the strange red liquid coursing through his body. His pain begins to ease and a warm glow envelops him. A series of images run flash in his mind but again is too many to make sense of. As his body finishes mending itself, the young hunter finally remembers a specific room: dark, dusty, and filled with various jars of liquids and preservatives. He was laying on a gurney abandoned, with a needle in his arm. Whatever transfusion he was receiving, it had finished. And that was the moment his nightmare began.

The young hunter awoke, taking in the sterile room around him. It was strange to see a patient's room void of vials and apparatuses. He noticed his body restrained by casts and wraps and couldn't shake the sense of danger in his lack of movement. The hunter was somehow able to squeeze his arms out form their casts and removed the splint from his leg. The next part proved the most dreadful for the hunter, slowly removing the needled and tubes from various places. He sat on the edge of his bed and attempted to stand, legs giving out under his wait. The hunter cursed under his breath and struggled once more.

"You shouldn't be up!" someone calls out to him and the hunter looks up. A nurse dressed in white, her blonde hair pulled back into a bun. "Please, let me help you," her voice of concern known as she placed a tray aside and approached to help him. He felt his arms drape over her shoulder and guides him back to his bed.

White uniform.

Blonde colored hair.

Trusting voice

Needles

Liar

Victims

Blood

Experiments

Monstrosities

Liar

 _Liar!_

 **LIAR!**

The hunter slips his arm around her neck and pulls her body into a choke hold

"Wha-what you doing!?" she cries, struggling against him. He pulls her along with him towards the door, taking the syringe off the tray.

"Whatever you are," his voice growls, "I won't let you take me. I'm leaving, and you're showing me how."

* * *

It wasn't long before others on the grounds began to notice. The hunter was able to slip by a few orderlies on his way out, but once outside was exposed to being severely out of place. Other children in uniform began calling for him, and he tried avoid the growing crowd. Some of them were armed but kept a distance with the hostage in his hands.

Yet they had successfully corralled him off to the academy's landing pad, holding his ground as he was surrounded and outnumbered. His eyes kept switching from person to person, pausing on a pair of silver eyes watching him in horror. The crowd parted in the corner of his sight and turned to see a tall, broad man dressed in white approach, accompanied by two guards (as he guess by their strange armor) with some sort of firearms aimed at him.

"Let's not be hasty," Ironwood said as he slowly approached the hunter. He stepped back when the hunter threatened to hurt the nurse in his hold, the point of the needle beginning to draw blood.

"Where am I?" the hunter finally asked, drawing the crowd's attention.

"You're on the grounds of Beacon Academy," Ironwood answered.

"And where does this 'academy' reside?" the hunter asked, seeking a way out from his trapped position.

"It is within the sanction of the kingdom of Vale, one of four in Remnant. Surely you must know that," Ironwood said as he watched the hunter's response. The hunter's puzzled expression gave himself away and Ironwood knew he was dealing with more than just an outsider.

"Now," the general began again, "if you would just let the young Miss go—"

"No."

Ironwood furrows his brow at the hunter's lack of cooperation.

"This situation will only grow unfavorable for you," the general warned.

"And why should I believe you," the hunter replied. "How can I trust safety to you, a stranger to me?"

"Because if you let her go, we'll lower our weapons as a sign of faith."

Ozpin joins Ironwood and motions for his friend to send away the guards. The general is reluctant to comply but orders his men to stand down nonetheless.

"Now, if you would…" the headmaster motions for the hunter to release the nurse. The young hunter can't help but feel wary of the strange man dressed in green, but slowly releases the nurse from his grasp. If the stranger was willing to let him go, then the hunter believed it best to leave with no ill intent. The nurse stumbled away in tears into the arms of Professor Goodwitch, the sorceress consoling the young girl.

"Thank you for not hurting her," Ozpin said as he took a careful step toward the hunter. The hunter nodded but took another step back.

"Please let me go," the hunter pleaded. He simply wished to leave, to sort out the images and voices in his head. He would worry about the rest later, but his head began to throb. He watched as the headmaster shook his head.

"I'm sorry but I'm afraid I can't allow that."

The hunter's body tensed at the headmaster's response. He was outnumbered, unarmed, and unprotected. His thoughts screamed to run, to fight, to reason, but so many voices filled his head. The final image burned in his mind as he saw an old operation room with corpses strapped down and bloodied. Operated, gutted and tortured. They were going to take him and make him something else.

"I won't let you take me," the hunter stated as he took one last step back.

"I WON'T BECOME ONE OF THEM!"

The hunter turned and began to run towards the edge of the landing area. Shots rang out as Ironwood's men began firing at the fleeing hunter, ballistics hitting the body but drawing no blood. Shouting filled the air from the students, from the general, from Ozpin as the hunter was about to leap before the hunter took sight of the city below.

He halted and fell to his knees, gripping his head and screaming. Images of the city before, a city he had never been to, destroyed by plague, beasts, and fires. Crowds roaming the night, hunting each other, drawing up pyres and blood, and their sanity had already long gone. Those who are yet to be affected hide indoors, only awaiting the inevitable.

"No more, please!" the hunter begged to no one. It all began to coalesce into his mind, two cities meeting the same violent start with no visible end. So many innocents… So many deaths… How many... How many more must he hunt before it's over?

The hunter's eyes looked to the moon above the city as dusk had taken hold: shattered against a lonely sky. His memories, the things he had forgotten: the hunt in Yharnam, the bodies he left behind, the Dream, the Doll, those damnable creatures, Gehrman… The swelling pain began to be too much as he took in the image of the moon.

"The moon… Why… Why are you shattered?" He gasped out in pain. And then he finally remembered who he was and what he was needed to do. But the young hunter didn't have to like it.

"Why me!?" he cried out before he met a darkness once more. Ozpin had swiftly knocked out the distressed young hunter and left the dispersal of the students to Goodwitch. Ironwood had his men escort the unconscious hunter to a detainment cell in one Atlas' transport ship. Ozpin had additional medical staff look over the young man's condition to find his body had fully recovered, save for some scars which remained on his back. Such injuries would have taken months of monitored care and yet he was up after two weeks. Both men kept an eye on the hunter and waited for him to awake though the door's reinforced pane.

* * *

"Well, that was a thing." A dark grey haired man had said to his company as they made their way back to their dorm. "I mean, it's not every day a crazy person appears in places like these," Mercury Black added. Tucking his hands behind his head, he turned to face his sticky fingered partner who couldn't have looked even more disinterested.

"Maybe… But still. It is odd that Ozpin would have someone like that on these grounds," Emerald commented.

"Should we report in to Cinder? Let her know Ozpin allows mad men and former White Fang members into his school?" Mercury asks.

Emerald thought it over. Cinder had ordered them to keep an eye out for anything unusual in Beacon but what they found was more or less useless to their cause. One person out of touch with their sanity would add nothing more.

"No, it's better to not waste her time with something like this. Guy's probably some superstitious bumpkin way outside the kingdom. Probably never set foot within the wall," Emerald concluded as they reached their door.

"If you say so, oh partner of mine."

* * *

The young hunter didn't know when he had been moved. But when he came to, he found himself in some sort of confinement with his arms shackled in a strange device. He heard the door open and saw the two men who had confronted him early. The one in green tossed him something small and the hunter caught it deftly in his hands. There was something comfortable in exercising his dexterity.

"That was the only thing of note we found on your person," the headmaster said.

The hunter merely nodded as he turned the stone in his hand, a gift from the only friend he had left.

"Let us start again: my name is Headmaster Octavius Ozpin and with me is General James Ironwood." Ozpin gestured to himself and the man beside him.

"Now, how about you?" he motioned towards the hunter.

The hunter turned the stone over and over in his hand. He finally remembered his ties to the Dream, the final night for Yharnam, and the other hunters who had paved his way. He remembered the abomination which ruined the Hunter's Dream and the urgency of his mentor to prevent another plague in this new city. And while a portion of his own past was still locked away, he remembered he had work to do, and it would prove to be the longest hunt he would undertake.

"My name," the hunter began, "is Sibyll. And I am a _Hunter_."

* * *

 **A/N: And so Hunter Sibyll begins his hunt. With the stage (hopefully) set, I look forward to finally diving right into the story, investigation, and horror. I do have some curve balls and aces in my sleeves. Next time: people start to get to know our misplaced Hunter, whether they want to or not.**


	4. Interrogative Introductions

**A/N: The reception so far has been well received and I couldn't help but spread out this section into two separate chapters. Really, it is humbling to find you all enjoying the story so far and I aim to continue on the same track as I started. Now, let us begin.**

* * *

Sibyll looks between Ozpin and Ironwood, gauging their reaction: the general continuing to eye him with wary scrutiny and the headmaster's passive expression betraying nothing. He shifts his shackles to a more comfortable position, already feeling his wrists start to chaff. He had been in one other cell before but the incentive for leaving was more or less undesirable: rot away behind bars or brave the prowling snatchers. And even if one were to slip pass them, even more vicious beasts stalk the quarantined streets.

"You claim to be a Huntsman," Ironwood started, "but you don't appear in any of the kingdom's registry."

Sibyll frowned. Nights of the hunt had called for many able-bodied hands to purge the plague and beasts, even in futility. With such large numbers, names were disregarded lest the hunter had proven great feats within their respected workshops. Hence the badges rewarded to the few who have contributed the most or slain greater monstrosities.

"Our line of work demands many," Sibyll states as a matter of fact. "Only the names of the worthy few are to be remembered."

" _Our_ line of work?" the general asks skeptically.

Sibyll simply gestures to himself. Both Ozpin and Ironwood shared a look before continuing.

"And your name," the general prodded.

"What of it?"

"Is it _just_ Sibyll? No surname?"

The young hunter had paused in his answer. He could not for the life of him recall the name of his family, neither his father's nor mother's. How long had it been since he had set out? Questions from his past would have to be answered at a later time. Preferably when not confined in a small space and outnumbered.

"It has always been that way," Sibyll conceded. The general nodded but not convinced.

"So where is it you come from, Sibyll?" Ozpin asks. Already they had no substantial information with a given name a supposed title. Maybe tracing the young man's origin would give them a village or outpost, providing them a chance to investigate past actions or affiliations.

"Far. Very far." Sibyll chose his words carefully. The men before him were digging for answers which he could no openly share. If what Gehrman warned was true, and the visions of the shattered moon true, he would have to stop the spread of the scourge before it can begin. And he would have to do it alone. How was he to know these men were not the ones responsible for its beginnings.

"Hmmm," the headmaster muses. The young hunter was keeping himself at bay with their questions. The interrogation was turning into a precarious game of trading information while giving none. Who caves first is yet to be determined, but both Sibyll and Ozpin can see Ironwood's patience begin to wear thin.

"Earlier at the landing bay," the general pressed, "you cried out about the moon. Asking why it was shattered. Explain."

Sibyll sighs, formulating some sort of acceptable response. "That was…" he was struggling to answer in a manner where he could be taken seriously and not with lunacy.

"That… had taken me by surprise," he answered honestly. "From where I have come, the moon had always been whole. To see it in a shattered state had… overwhelmed me." And it was true. Yharnam's moon had always loomed overhead, a constant reminder of the endless hunting nights but never broken. The same is said for the Hunter's Dream but Sibyll had always wondered what dawn would have looked like then, if it ever came within the strange realm.

His answer had given both of the older men a clue to the young hunter's existence: while Remnant did face certain phases of the moon being whole, there couldn't have possibly been a town or village to view its solid form consistently for a long time.

"And during your episode," Ozpin interjected, "you looked to be suffering a great deal."

"My memory… it was lost to me. It all came flooding back when I tried to…run. It hurt, having to remember everything."

"And was that because of the people who were after you? The ones who threaten to 'make you' like 'them'?"

"No… Something else had made me forget."

"And do you remember everything?" Hazel eyes behind loosely hung glasses regarded Sibyll carefully, intent on seeing telltale signs of lying. But for Sibyll, the concept of "everything" was abstract and in his favor. The young hunter remembered what he needed and cannot recall all the bits which would have made him feel more human: memories of his former life forcibly tucked away for now.

"Not everything, but enough to know who I am." Sibyll responded vaguely.

A sound reverberated throughout the small confined space as the general's fist met the side of a wall.

"Enough of this! Do you expect us to accept such unclear answers?" Ironwood began.

"Are they not sufficient?" Sibyll countered.

"Clearly not. You have yet to state who you are or where you come from. You don't show up on any of the databases and suspicion has us wary of your presence and intention."

"And what do you believe my intentions to be?"

"…One where your stay here is prolonged, permanently if necessary."

Silence falls between the three once more before the general begins again.

"Allow me to ask you again: Who are you?"

"…"

"Where have you come from?"

"…"

"If you belong to any organization, which one do you—"

"What sort of place are we?" Sibyll asks the headmaster, effectively cutting of the general's barrage of questions. Ironwood's frustration begins to boil as Ozpin replies.

"You're currently on the grounds of my school, Beacon Academy: one of many schools in the kingdoms to train aspiring Huntsmen and Huntresses."

"You…train children to hunt beasts?" Sibyll had asked. He remembered the group that arrived in the clearing to aid him and the young girl. He never had a moment to contemplate the situation, but felt grim as those younger than him slaying the beasts which filled the field. They moved in unison, communicating with one another effectively, whittling down the numbers until the Alpha remained. The hunters in Yharnam would often hunt alone and avoid large groups in favor of stealth, never working with one another unless their hunt leads them to a beast too great to take on alone. Such fluid coordination and fervor to hunting those wolves was truly marvelous.

But even if they were efficient, even if they were skilled, to Sibyll they were still children. And it left a sour taste in his mouth to watch them hunt.

"I do," the headmaster says without hesitation

"But to train them so young," Sibyll had begun to say before the Ozpin explained further.

"I believe your words were _'Our line of work demands many'_. The same can be said for our need of them to protect the innocents from creatures similar to the ones you have encountered. I assure you, they are capable."

Sibyll had to concede to the headmaster's explanation. Who was the young hunter to assume moral high ground if their world was inhabited with such creatures. Sibyll himself had picked up a few tricks from passing hunters of various lands during his own travels and he was no older than they at the time. He didn't agree with it but Sibyll was a stranger to these lands and customs and as such, must accept them as the norm. Even if he didn't like or agree with it.

"And these creatures—"

"I believe I wasn't done asking questions," the general finally spoke, the ire already releasing.

"But I am clearly finished with speaking with you." Sibyll states, eyes beginning to glean with clear defiance.

"And what makes you think you have any say in the matter?" Ironwood challenged. There was a slight pause before Sibyll decided to confront the general head on.

"The two of you have asked questions about myself, keen on knowing who I was and whom I allied myself with," Sibyll begins. "Yet do you not find it strange how I have never asked who you are? How in our time here, I have yet to ask anything about you two yet know enough that you both have fought in some great battle."

Sibyll's response surprises the two of them. They had no defining features which would set them apart from the many aside from their accrued reputation. The general could only frown at the young hunter, believing his move to be a bluff to buy time. That is until Sibyll corners him with his following response.

"You," he gestures to the general with his restrained hands. "How long has it been since you have lost your right arm?" Sibyll's question throws Ironwood off guard. Since when did he… of course, the general had been provoked to frustration and acted out against his better judgement.

"Your hand made an unusual sound when striking against the metal: sharp, but heavy with a slight twang. Unlike," Sibyll uses his bare foot to tap the wall next to him, "the dull sounds it would have made."

The young hunter continues to stare down the general.

"Earlier during my – compromising situation – your men proved themselves capable of following your words to the letter. They only withdrew on your call and yours alone. Only men with great respect or authority can demand such of others. You dress immaculately, demanding perfection and precision. And even here, your attempts of displaying your superiority over me – standing in such a manner to seem taller with an air of influence – speaks years and experience of negotiation or, in this case, interrogation."

Sibyll turns to face Ozpin. "And you," he began, "have kept your eyes on me without relent." The headmaster raises an eyebrow over the young hunter's claim.

"Your eyes have noticed the stone turn in my hand with possible nervousness, my shoulders tensing with fatigue, my feet tapping with impatience and you are waiting. Maybe you believe I will consent to telling everything I know after being worn down. Or maybe," Sibyll's eye shift to look behind the headmaster, "you believe I am dangerous."

Sibyll points to Ozpin's cane resting behind him by the door.

"You brought something to protect yourself and the other gentleman, as a precaution. Whereas your companion believes himself to be safe in such a confined space, you feel the need to be assured." Sibyll stands from his seat as both the general and headmaster make a small motion to drop into a defensive stance.

"You are cautious," Sibyll points out, "by how you stand: feet shoulder width apart, arms poised yet relaxed as to not give yourself away. And your eyes…" The young hunter gestures to his own orange orbs. "Your eyes have never left mine."

The young hunter takes his seat once more and both of the older men remain tense. He had been right, Ozpin noted. While Ironwood had kept the young hunter's attention, the headmaster had been indeed keeping a close eye on his body signs. The way Sibyll's hands would run his thumb over the tear stone in a manner where one finds comfort. His feet tapping the floor occasionally, the orange eyes never shifting away from the general yet it had all been a ruse. Testing them and gauging their reaction and Ozpin couldn't help but feel impressed. The young hunter's skills have certainly been refined.

"You're rather perceptive, aren't you?" Ozpin asks.

"I have my mentor to thank for," the young hunter responds. But Sibyll steers the conversation back on point.

"I have answered your questions, albeit vaguely. My name is Sibyll and I am a Hunter. My travels have taken me far to this place and my undertaking is my own," Sibyll stated once more.

"But if it is of any consolation, I swear my intentions are of no ill intent to your cause or group. If I meant any harm, then I would not have distracted that beast and saved myself instead." Sibyll had done his best to present himself as an equal, someone to be taken seriously. And hopefully in doing so, the three of them could move pass the petty mind games and address more important matters: like his release.

"Speaking of which," Sibyll began, "how are they? Were they able to escape?" The young hunter's expression had turned serious. He never found out after his fall into the river or after regaining consciousness.

"They're fine. They sustained minor damage, but are well nonetheless."

With the headmaster's confirmation, Sibyll visibly relaxed.

"I never had the moment," Ozpin added, "but thank you for protecting my students." The young hunter nodded but thought back to the young girl with silver eyes and her compatriots. There was something odd about the way they moved, able to summon elements at will, undergoing great physical feats. Sibyll knows of only one other hunter who could wield a hammer of similar weight like the young war maiden he saw on the battle field.

"If I may ask, what do your students study in your academy? Aside from hunting, do they undergo lessons of the arcane?"

Ozpin and Ironwood noted the odd phrase the young hunter may have referred aura to. If he was truly an outsider to their kingdom, then his knowledge in the matters of the soul and semblances would be foreign to him, let alone the creatures themselves.

"Do you mean their use of aura and semblance?" they had asked, baiting Sibyll's response which he could not help but fall for.

" _Aura?_ You mean that nonsense the east spouts?" It was then Sibyll had made a terrible mistake in forgetting where he was. Just as he was able to learn something from these two men, they in turn learned something of him: his lack of knowledge in **their** world would draw more suspicion than necessary.

"Interesting," Ozpin had commented and before he and Ironwood could press further, all three of them heard a disturbance outside. Both turned and as the general motioned for the door to opened, all three watched as an exasperated young girl attempted to make her way around the posted guards. A young girl with silver eyes.

* * *

"Kid, I said it before and I'll say it again: You're not **allowed** to be here!" the guard with red accents to his armor spoke, trying tiredly to get the red hooded girl to leave. His partner, a guard with blue accents, merely chuckled and contributed nothing in asserting force or authority to the short stuff before them.

"Look, it'll be a _really~_ quick. I just have to make sure my friend is okay," Ruby pleaded but to no avail.

"Friend? This guy?" the blue guard asked, motioning to the door with his rifle. Ruby nodded and both guards shared a look before turning to face the young reaper.

"Look kid," Red Guard began to say, "I don't know what kind of friends **you** make but he **clearly** is not someone you should associate with."

"Yeah," Blue Guard added. "I mean, what kind of _'friend'_ takes a hostage from someone trying to **help** him?"

"He didn't do that on purpose!" Ruby shouted in the young hunter's defense. She didn't have to see it behind both guards' visors, but she knew they were looking at her with disbelief.

"And how would you know that?" Blue Guard asks.

"I saw his eyes… They were terrified. Like he didn't know where he was. You know? Like those nights where you wake up and don't remember where you are?" Ruby tried to reason. Among the crowds she had watched him look around wildly, cornered like a frightened animal. She saw how his eyes tried to make sense of what was around him, afraid in someplace he probably doesn't remember coming to. Those pleading orange eyes begged for help and before she could intervene, both Ozpin and Ironwood had taken over the situation.

But both guards made a motion of rolling their eyes behind their helmet's visors.

"I'm sorry but orders are orders," Red Guard stated. "If you aren't going to leave willingly, we're going to have you **'escorted'** out of here."

Ruby sighed and made the motion for walking away before using her semblance to try and bypass the guards and get through to the door. She noted her emphasis on the "trying" aspect as both guards made a motion to stop her.

"Hey! Come on kid! I'm just trying to do my job!" Red shouts as he tries to pull away the kicking and punching young girl. The door opens behind them and all three of them stop to see Ironwood and Ozpin step out. The guards fix themselves to stand at attention but are overlooked as the headmaster and general focus on Ruby herself. She felt herself grow small in their towering presence.

"Caught in more trouble again Miss Rose?" her headmaster playfully jokes.

"No no! I just… wanted to make sure he was alright." Ruby motioned to the young hunter behind them, still in his hospital gown with his hands secured. She saw how he watched her from within his cell but made no motion to try and leave.

"I'm sorry Ruby but I'm afraid I can't allow you to see him," the general states. Ruby notices how his brow seems strained with frustration but chooses not to comment on it.

"I promise to be quick General! I won't take longer than—"

"Ruby, that man is dangerous. I can't allow you near him until we're sure he isn't a threat to those around him."

She could feel Ironwood radiate his authority through his aura and in any other situation, Ruby would have stepped down. Even licensed Huntsman and Huntresses adhere to authority and law. While they protected the kingdoms, they were not above everyone else. But she couldn't back down knowing the person she had worried over was just right there. She borrowed some of Jaune's courage and put on a strong serious face (to which the young hunter could only chuckle at the young girls pout) and took a step toward the general.

"A dangerous person wouldn't have endangered himself for the sake of my team or another's. If he was truly dangerous, why did he take a fatal hit meant for me? Unlike someone else in your custody," she hiked a thumb to an adjacent cell, "he isn't dangerous. He was afraid. He let that nurse go and ran when he felt threatened. If anything is threatening, it's _us_ to **him**."

Ruby made her way into Sibyll's cell and turned to her headmaster.

"Spoil me for a few minutes sir?"

To Ozpin, Ruby Rose was surely her mother's daughter. And like her mother, the young Rose pushed boundaries unknowingly and brazenly. When confronting such a headstrong person, others are met with charming charisma or disarmed by their trademark "wilt": a pouting technique even the headmaster himself couldn't say no to. Ruby's mother had perfected an innate ability and it seems her daughter was a natural as well.

"Five minutes Miss Rose. But I must remind you to respect authority whenever present. It is unbecoming of a Huntress in training to be disrespectful."

Ruby nodded as she turned to the young hunter and the door behind her closed.

* * *

The general began to rub his temples, clearly struggling with how his friend could allow such insubordination and discourteousness.

"Come now, James. You were just as unabashed during your youth," the headmaster joked.

"But I learned to obey authority and to respect my superiors," the general reminded.

Ozpin could only laugh at the growth of his students, knowing they were heading down their own paths. Hopefully the path would be the correct ones. Ozpin turned to his companion once more.

"True, but let us amuse her. You know neither of us couldn't refuse Summer when she had 'wilted' over more trivial things."

"I conceded because they were _trivial_."

"Then think of this as yet another small thing to overlook. I'm sure Miss Rose just wants to ensure his safety, considering what the young man came out of."

"I'm beginning to believe you play favorites among your students, Oz."

"They're all notable in their own way James. Even the ones who need more refining. And who knows? Maybe Miss Rose will be more successful in learning about this individual than we can."

* * *

Ruby finally had the moment to meet with Huntsman she had saved and in turn saved them. Her worries over the past two weeks are now over, and seeing him alive and well had brought a sense of relief for her. She had been eager for this moment and after confront one of the most powerful and respected men in the whole of Remnant (with the exception of the headmaster and Weiss' father from hearsay), Ruby found herself at a loss for words.

What could she say? What could she ask him?

She had anticipated this moment so much, struggled with sleep and schoolwork, and when the moment finally arrives… she chokes. She begins to fidget in front of the young man, eyes cast downward, fingers poking at their tips, forsaking any sense of subtlety her nervousness could have undergone and before the moment grows too awkward… the young man laughs.

More of a chuckle, but it was heartfelt and light.

Ruby looks up to find his expression relaxed and open. His orange eyes peeking out from a messy curtain of grey hair, seemingly ash colored in nature now that she thought of it. A small grin playing onto his face as he leans forward slightly from his seat.

"Nervous after putting up such a brave front?" the young man asks. "Well, you are certainly unusual young miss." Ruby gave a nervous laugh.

"Are you alright?" she begins. It wasn't the best way to start a conversation, but starting with him health would be a decent start.

"Yes, I am feeling much better. These arrangements could stand to be a bit more hospitable though." The hunter lifts his restrained hands and then gestures to the small space they occupy. "But what of you, young miss? Are you alright?" he asks.

"Mhmm!" Ruby replies a bit too eagerly, but ending the conversation too briefly. The hunter nods and waits for her next words politely, if to avoid flustering her.

"You know," the young man began, "you do not have to restrain yourself. There seems to be more you wish to say and I would prefer you to speak openly."

Was she truly that open of a book to be read, the young girl had thought. She wanted to ask him many things: what sort of Huntsman was he, was he the "lone, roguish type", what type of weapon he normally uses, where he came from, what was he doing alone, why didn't he have his aura unlocked, why did he dress funny—

"Young miss?" the young man asked again, believing he had overstepped some boundary or custom. But Ruby's mind ran through the multitude of questions she wanted to ask before settling on one which would speak for the rest of them. She took a deep breath, clenched her fists, and closed in on the man before her. His looked confused in her approach and before he could inquire further, was met with a flurry of the most lackluster of punches he had ever felt.

"ARE… YOU… INSANE!?" The young girl had asked between hits.

His body shook against each of her strikes, though he oddly felt no pain. He believed it strange how she could wield such a dangerously large weapon with ease but do such little harm unarmed.

"If you are referring to what had happened earlier, I believe you already spoke on my behalf."

"That… isn't… what… I… meant!" she continued, beginning to grow tired and irritated of not being taken seriously. While she could have chosen a better way of expressing her concerns, hitting him over and over in the shoulder should drive the point home.

 _"If only I could hit as hard as Yang,"_ Ruby thought to herself. She had stopped hitting the young man and regained her breath as he finally realized what she had meant.

"You mean with the beast you call the Alpha?"

Ruby nodded.

"Oh…" The young man mulled his thoughts over before adding, "What of it?"

The young reaper was shocked at how nonchalant he had been about it. His expression hadn't changed into one of making amends or acknowledging severity of his actions. He simply looked at her impassively, without remorse over having worried her. To Ruby, it seemed his sacrificing his own life was purely an option made on the whim of circumstance and it bothered her.

"You were already hurt."

"I was."

"You could have **died** ," Ruby tried to emphasize.

"It certainly was a possibility," he responded.

She couldn't understand it. It was one thing to sacrifice yourself nobly, if it meant you came to terms with your own finality. But he… he almost seems to disregard his own life. There was a line between heroics and being blindly suicidal but he couldn't have possibly had that small sense of self preservation if he was a Huntsman.

"Do you just throw your life away for any person in distress?"

"No."

And his response surprised Ruby even more. It felt cold and detached, but bitingly realistic. The way his eyes dulled at the utterance of his response, looking far past her into something she couldn't see. He had saved her and her friends but wouldn't have extended that courtesy to another so easily? Ruby wants to be a hero. She wants to protect the peace of those around her but she knew she wouldn't have thrown away her life so easily. She still had people to come back to: her father, her friends back home on Patch and in Beacon. Ruby knew the day would come where she could make a difficult decision, but abandoning someone in distress would never cross her mind. She would do her best to make it so everyone comes out alive if she could. But the man before her… did he really leave those in dire need behind?

"I am not as noble as you believe me to be," he states softly. "Where I have traveled from… such kindness cannot be taken at face value."

He looks down at his hands, at the sparkly, silver stone resting in his palm.

"The anguish of others was theirs alone and there was nothing I could have done differently to ease their pain. When outsiders are looked upon cruelly, and neighbors have turned on each other… you learn to watch out for yourself."

The young hunter remembered those streets of Yharnam and those who have turned him away. When they realized he was foreign to their city, he was considered a fool seeking help and received none. When he had become a Hunter, they blamed the scourge on him despite having no part in its spread. Gilbert and a few other inhabitants were the exception but even then there was little he could do to better their situations. As the night progressed, even he could see the light in their eyes fade into hopelessness as the rest of the city tore itself apart.

"You came to my aid and I returned the gesture. I hope that is adequate enough for an explanation," the young man stated, returning his eyes to the young girl before him. He knew she was struggling to accept his answer and didn't expect her too. She never saw what he had and she was young, uninitiated in what _his_ form of hunting entailed. But he also saw her concern remain as she decided to press forth.

"Then why haven't you unlocked your aura?" she asked. For Ruby, it seemed like a reasonable thing to ask. Even if his view on being a Huntsman was contrary to her own, she also wondered how he could have gotten so far without having come into a scrape or two. Creatures of Grimm were many and crafty in their encounters of the people. She saw firsthand how vulnerable the man before her had been but it must not have been the first time. But his expression to her question was strange.

"Both you and your headmaster have mentioned this 'aura'. Does it bear that much importance?"

"You… really don't know?"

"You can say I am not… well versed on the subject."

 _"Maybe he's like Jaune,"_ Ruby thought. She had heard about Jaune's lack of awareness of on the topic through Pyrrha after the Forever Fall incident with the Ursa Major. They chalked it up to Jaune's oblivious nature despite the reputation of his family's name, and Ruby assumed the same for the Huntsman before her.

"Well," Ruby thought of a way to explain it, "it's like a representation of your soul. All living things have it – well except for the Grimm – and it protects us and… stuff?"

Generalizing a complicated subject was going to be hard for the young reaper, but continued anyways.

"It's like a… barrier against all harm. And if you're really good at controlling it, you can use it for all sorts of things. Oh! And those who have their aura unlocked discover their semblance! Sometimes it's handed down – like mine – or completely unique!"

The hunter contemplated her explanation.

"So… this 'semblance' is a skill unique to a person and derives from their soul?" he asked.

"Pretty much."

"Hmm… Peculiar."

A sharp knocking at the door both drew their attention and Ruby realized her time with the Huntsman was up. She still had many questions to ask but she had already pushed the boundary and pushing any more would cause trouble.

"Aside from the gloomy subject of our conversation, I found your presence to be pleasant young miss," the young man spoke. Ruby gave a nervous smile in turn.

"Maybe we can continue at another time?" she had asked. The man smirked teasingly at the young girl as the door fully opened.

"It would be unwise to test the patience and generosity of your mentors," he advised. "But if you are able to beguile your way into another visit, then I look forward to it. Perhaps you'll entreat me to a book or two seeing as I will be" the young hunter looks toward Ironwood, "under the general's care."

Ruby had nodded enthusiastically and proceeded to make her exit. Before she slapped a hand to her forehead and turned around abruptly.

"Geez… After all this time and we still don't know each other's names. I'm Ruby Rose," the young reaper says as she extends her hand to the hunter. He takes it gently into his hold and gives a light shake before bowing respectfully to her.

"Sibyll."

The young reaper nodded and took her place alongside Ozpin. Before Ironwood moves to close the cell's door, the young hunter calls out to the bespectacled man.

"Headmaster Ozpin."

"Yes?"

"I would like to apologize for my actions. It was inexcusable and I meant no harm to the young lady whose care I was under. I hope you would pass my apologies to her and an assurance I will make no similar actions in the future."

Ozpin gave Sibyll a small grin. For a stranger and unknown variable, he was well mannered in his speech and sincerity. The headmaster nodded and Ironwood closed and secured the cell's door. The guards resumed their post as the three of them made their way out of the general's personal transport ship.

* * *

"Soooo…" Ruby began, drawing out the vowels and fishing for anything to break the silence.

"You wish to visit Mr. Sibyll again Miss Rose?" Ozpin had asked, already knowing the young girl was intent on numerous visits. Ruby nodded but the general was clearly displeased with the idea.

"You can't be serious, Oz…" Ironwood had said, abandoning formalities in front of a student.

"Oh, but I am. Miss Rose proved herself capable in obtaining information on our guest, more so than we, and it appears he allows his guard to lower in her presence."

"You heard everything?" Ruby interjected.

"We _were_ just outside the door," the headmaster reminded. "In any case, you'll get your answer James. That is provided if Miss Rose decides to cooperate on your terms. He is in _your_ custody after all."

Both men stopped and turn to Ruby and she suddenly felt so small in their presence. The general would have wanted to interrogate the young hunter himself but seeing just how the young man easily bristled at his inquiries, Ruby proved to be the most viable choice.

"I will allow your visits **IF** you relay what you've learned from him to Ozpin and I. While you believe him to be an ally, we need to ensure his intentions are rightly so. We cannot risk a character of his nature to walk freely if he threatens the kingdom and as you are a Huntress in training, you must also exercise caution. Until he is cleared, you must treat him and his words as suspect. Do I make myself clear?"

The general had laid out his terms. It would be a situation of quid-pro-quo where both parties would get what they want and the quicker they discover the young man's nature, the faster they could refocus their attentions to the unseen threats.

Ruby nodded her head. "You have my word." Ozpin had excused her to resume the rest of her day, not before Ruby stood before the general and bowed. Ironwood had to concede that the proper nature the restrained young man exudes have rubbed off on the young girl. A small quality he could give slight thanks for.

"I apologize for my attitude earlier, sir. I realize my words and actions are rude and have placed you and your authority in a compromising situation. I will do better to not make a mistake like that again."

For a brief moment, Ironwood saw a bit of Summer before him. The same colored hair would have been a bit longer, and her constant persistence placed her team and others in awkward situations, but the sincerity remained even after her time. He watched as Ruby lifted her head and smiled, the same smile which reflected atonement but a recurring mischievousness she simply couldn't avoid. The general inwardly sighed, deciding to retire to his quarters for the day.

"Don't make a habit of it, Miss Rose."

* * *

As another week passes, Sibyll spent his time learning what he could of the world called "Remnant".

His days were filled with frequented visits from Ruby and with her the histories of the kingdoms. She had gone over his questions as best as she could, explaining the formations of the four territories, the battles and wars, and the discovery of dust and its uses. Ruby found it her favorite subject to him about as she saw his expression go through many phases of wonder, confusion, and appreciation. Going over dust applications for various needs – primarily her use of it in her sniper rounds – might not have been well versed as Weiss would have instructed, but the young reaper had tried to reiterate as efficiently and accurately as she could.

She did find it odd how Sibyll would often ask about the research over the years, primarily with ancient civilizations over archaic subjects. When asked about his curiosity on the subject, he simply stated it was an interest of his. Not in practice but in scribing his discoveries. While he was primarily a hunter, Sibyll did find value in recording what he learned as he hoped his awareness would discourage histories past mistakes. Ruby teased him for having such an old man hobby. Sibyll teased her for being so small. He received her punches as he continued to ask her more about her world.

In Ruby's absence however, Sibyll spent that time formulating his next move. He enjoyed learning what he could from Ruby as it provided him a cursory insight of the world around him, but he needed to proceed with preventing the incoming plague. And the young hunter also knew Ruby's prodding questions were occasionally not her own. He had caught on to her liar's tell when she tried to ask more about him: how she could never make eye contact, opting to be more interested in the books she had brought than him. Sibyll already knew her visits under specifics conditions but he felt her subterfuge could use more work. He had given her as much (and as little) information of himself as he could allow, ensuring her continued visits and protecting himself from being exposed.

But mostly... Sibyll gave her information to enjoy her constant company. Being confined made him very restless and unusually lonely. Sibyll never had a consistent companion in Yharnam and it was strange to finally converse with another person. As her visits and shared knowledge evolved into her studying or completing homework in his cell, Sibyll felt a comfort in not being alone. It would be temporary but he relished. He often asked if her friends were alright with her visiting such a suspicious character, Ruby placated his concerns in saying they trust him (well, most of them did after his hostage stunt). Sibyll decided to table his concerns for later.

It was during the tail end of the week did Sibyll discover his chance of leaving his confinement as he and Ruby discussed aura in more detail.

"Anyone's aura can be unlocked?" he had asked.

"Mhmm and but it takes some time for a person to discover what his or her semblance is. Some believe it's tied to the person's personality or skill, but there's nothing consistent in the research. The only thing currently confirmed is how it can be passed down through families."

"Like your speed." Sibyll had added.

"Exactly," Ruby had nodded, feeling proud of having inherited her mother's semblance.

"And do you think you can unlock my aura?" the young hunter had asked. If what he had learned about aura and semblances from Ruby to be the world's norm, it could prove to be a useful skill to have when he begins to venture out. But Sibyll had his own doubts as Ruby also stated that aura is also heavily affected by one's mental state as well and demonstrated with the (contraband) dust she brought along. The substance could prove to be volatile in less practiced hands and with the things he had done to survive in Yharnam… he wouldn't want to chance any potential self harm.

Ruby shook her head sadly.

"I can't manipulate my own aura well enough to unlock another person's soul. I'm lucky enough to control my speed with ease but I don't have enough control to prevent its negative effects."

"Like aura draining, right?"

"You learn quickly." Ruby beamed at him, before grinning at him with mischief. "And even if I _could_ , I wouldn't. How would I know you won't use your powers to try and escape?" she had teased. Sibyll raised his hands in defense to her accusation.

"You could place trust in your _friend_?" he proposed.

Ruby crossed her arms, carrying a haughty air. "I like to believe we're _acquaintances_. You have yet to reach friendship level." The young reaper turned her chin up at him but was met with a thorough ruffling her hair.

"You wound me, young miss," Sibyll had countered before returning to the book currently at hand: Beacon Academy's history and code of conduct.

He was surprised a simple book of conduct could have such a brief but accurate history of the academy and its customs, with its emphasis on upholding morality, honesty, honor, and vigilance while allowing freedoms for self expression. Ruby began to grumble incoherently as Sibyll picked up something interesting in the academy's early days, settling disputes:

 _"While differences of opinions can be settled out of class, it is not unusual for students to duel each other as means to test their convictions and skill. Drawing its tradition from the early Hunters proving superiority over one another, dueling allows both opponents to understand one another and promote self growth and stronger cooperation. For a duel to be recognized, both parties must consent to the challenge and be officiated by a supervisor during the battle to judge victory accordingly. If all requirements are met, the duel becomes official. Demands made by either party hails from the old tradition, but if agreed, the victor's demands must be honored."_

"Ruby," Sibyll began as he nudged the young girl. "Is this tradition still practiced today?" he asked as he pointed out the segment of information in the rule book. Ruby looked over the collection of words and nodded.

"Mhm! But the duels are more or less during practice in Goodwitch's class. If anyone has a problem with someone else, they usually try to settle it over at administration or with Ozpin himself."

"And anyone can be challenged?"

"I guess so?" She was puzzled over Sibyll's new interest in that small snippet of the academy's history but a knocking had broken her out of her thoughts. Her visit for the day is over and she has to return back to her dorm and team (after filling in with Ironwood).

"Well, I guess it's time," Ruby said as she gathered her belongings and books into her bag. The door had opened and as usual, the guards aimed their rifles at Sibyll to ensure he doesn't try to escape. Not that he would try _now_ but he didn't feel that threatened by their weapons. He had been hit with other hunter's quicksilver bullets and proved to be more dangerous than the rounds that had hit him before.

"And as always, your presence is a pleasure Ruby." Sibyll bowed to her as always does during her departure and is met with a smile in response. The door to his cell would close and he would spend the night alone in darkness once more.

* * *

Sibyll had waited for their arrival, quietly resting in the dark of his cell. While the small rays of moonlight filtered through the window, he sat in hopes of those little creatures appearing. The Messengers had proven themselves before when injecting him with blood vials to save him and Sibyll wondered if they would come again. His answer was met when a small, diffused light bubbled at the floor before him.

As he knelt at the bubbling grey haze, four small, pale creatures emerged to greet him. Their bodies were small, almost infantile as pale hands reached out to him. Their faces were contorted in a gruesome fashion but he had grown used to their appearance, finding them… cute… as the Doll once put it. Upon one of their heads, a pure white bow rested and Sibyll was reminded of what it meant and the guilt that surfaced in his heart. He reached out and caressed their faces, all of them delighted continued in reaching for his grasp. The pulled out an empty scroll and waited for the message he wished to convey.

"I would like you to pass this note along…"

* * *

The hour had grown very late and despite Glynda's urging for him to rest, Ozpin continued his work as both headmaster and protector. He had already finished the paper necessary for the academy to continue functioning: a financials finished and all concerns noted. His informant, Qrow, would be dropping by to pass off material deemed too sensitive to be received through their electronic scrolls. And while this cat and mouse game with this "Queen" character had been formidable, he couldn't help but feel wary of the young man in James' custody. His appearances felt too timely but from what Ruby had relayed to him and the general, the young man seems to be here with a purpose: one that may coincide with their cause or prove to be detrimental. The silence in his office had broken as the sound of bell signaled the elevator's arrival and it deposited a very furious general.

Ironwood's strides were long and he stood immediately before headmaster's desk as he deposited a parcel on its surface. Alongside with it, the general dropped an unfurled piece of paper and leaned forward against the desk's edge.

" **This** was just delivered to my desk."

Ozpin careful opened the package to find a set of clothes before them: a buttoned long sleeve shirt, matching slacks and vest, suspenders, accompanying undergarments and socks, and a pair of worn oxfords. These were probably meant for the young man as his clothes were still confiscated for further blood samples, leaving him with only the medical gown. The headmaster turned his attention to the note and began to read:

 _"Dear Headmaster,_

 _While I enjoy spending my time in the general's care and having the young Miss Ruby visit, I believe it is fair to assume we are at an impasse. There are things you wish to know about myself and those very things I cannot share. We may continue this ruse where we take advantage of the young miss (which I am sure we sorely regret) and make no headway in our own causes. You have your engagements. I have mine._

 _So I propose a small duel:_

 _First to draw blood from the torso, loser concedes to the victor._

 _Should you prevail, I will voluntarily share everything you wish to know: where I come have from and why I have come._

 _But in the event that I succeed, I wish to be allowed to leave._

 _Your academy's history roots itself in settling such disputes with actions over words. Allows us to uphold these values from one hunter to another._

 _I will await your answer at your convenience._

 _Warmest regards,_

 _Sibyll"_

* * *

 _ **A/N: And so Sibyll gambles on a challenge for his release with the stakes already high? Will he succeed? Will he fail? Does this young Hunter even have a semblance? All your questions will (hopefully) be answered in due time. On a side note, I was growing nervous about this chapter as it is the precursor to the first action sequence of the story. I hope it didn't drag or feel too slow with dialogue or interaction. As always, I appreciate any and all feedback you find yourselves with. Until next time.**  
_


	5. A Small Bout of Madness

**A/N: This chapter is by far the longest I have written. I try to restrain myself from being over excessive in the details, but I felt I needed to let this one take its course. A lot happens in this chapter and I hope I am able to answer all your questions and concerns in the after-notes. But for now, here we go.**

* * *

The weekend's morning finally arrived for Team RWBY and having finished all their work for the week can look forward to the two days of downtime. All four girls felt grateful that their additional lessons were restricted to only the weekdays, even if Port's supplementary lectures were just as difficult to sit through. As they woke and took turns in the conducting their own morning rituals, they were in a discussion of how to spend their free time.

"We could catch a movie," Yang suggested as she slipped on her shirt, finally freeing her wild hair through the shirt's opening. "Maybe we'll finally see that new Revengers flick and pick up a few things on the way back. Not before eating out of course." She ruffled her hair to work out the kinks and after a brief look into a nearby mirror, deemed it fit enough and began deciding between two form fitting shorts.

"And just who do you think will _fund_ this little outing? I don't believe you'd volunteer on our behalf, would you?" Weiss asks as she wraps a thick, black belt around the waist of her sundress, white with red Mistralan floral design. After she fastens her hair into her signature asymmetrical pony tail, the heiress turns to see the brawler smirking at her before giving her a knowing wink.

"Of course, why am I not surprised?"

Blake had just finished fastening the buttons of her blouse and proceeded to slip on jeans in favor over her usual form hugging slacks. She then proceeded to tie her bow around her ears, hiding them in plain sight. "Were you _ever_ surprised?" she asked as she made sure her bow was secure. Being the first to finish, Blake pulls a book from her bedside as she waits her teammates to finish.

"No, but one can hope." Weiss slipped on her heels and after feeling satisfied with her appearance, decided to look over her class notes one more time.

"She's a lost cause," the faunus girl reminded at the turn of a page.

"Ah come on! What's wrong with splurging a little bit?" Yang asks as she began to slip on her boots and lace them tightly.

"It depends on whose money we're talking about," Weiss commented as she made additions to her notes on Dust theory.

"But friends _totally~_ treat each other out!" Yang countered as she approached the heiress and gave her a playful nudge to her side.

"And you have yet to treat me to anything Xiao Long."

"I totally have!" Yang protested. "What about the time I treated you to extra dessert a few nights ago?"

"You call taking Jaune's pudding as treating me to dessert?" Weiss had questioned. Yang could only grin slyly as she shrugged shoulders. Weiss huffed and turned back to the rest of her notes. "Doesn't count," she added as she began to neatly order them.

"Ugh…" Yang cried out in exaggeration, flopping her body over Blake's lap, and letting her legs dangle over the edge.

" _Blaaake~_! The Ice Queen doesn't wanna share!" the brawler had whined into the faunus' mattress, emphasizing on the annoying tone. Yang's groaning began to grow on Blake's nerves and as it continued, Blake was forced to take her partner's side, if only to quiet her rambunctious nature.

"She _technically_ did treat you," she said over the top over her novel, eyeing Weiss from across the room. The heiress turned and crossed her arms, disbelieving the total "betrayal" of the second most sensible member of their team.

"She had to take it from someone else," Weiss had reasoned.

"But you did say pudding was one of your favorites."

"Well yes, but I don't see how that—"

"And you more or less accepted it without a second thought."

"Had I known then she had taken it from Jaune—"

"And I believe your words were, _'Thanks Yang, I owe you one'_ right?"

"But this doesn't equally—"

"And you **really~** enjoyed the last of the pudding…"

Icy blue eyes met with equally bright amber and in their silence a battle of wills was being waged. The heiress had been treated (at Jaune's expense) to the last of the dessert pudding for the night. And it was no rumor how the dishes and meals provided at Beacon spared no expense in emphasizing on nutrition and flavor. And she had certainly taken a pleasure in savoring the **very last** of any dessert… Weiss broke away in her defeat and ran her hand through her pony tail.

"Alright! Fine! I'll treat us out **just this once**! But concessions are your own concern!" she huffed and turned away to regain her composure. Yang leapt from Blake's lap with a whoop and thanked her partner with an embellished kiss to the cheek. Blake was just relieved to have her partner direct her over abundance of energy at someone else.

"You hear that Ruby? It's a movie day today!" she called out to the occupied bathroom.

The three of them were met with no response, which was odd, considering their leader hand been excited to see the film since its release. If it had explosion, mechas, and multi-shifting weapons, Ruby was already sold on the movie, horrible or not. Yang thought her sister may not have heard her and tried calling out to her again.

"Ruby! I said today's gonna be a movie day today~! Weiss is treating!" Yang called out once more. Again, they are met with no response.

"That's weird," Blake commented as she put her away her novel and all three of them approached the door. They gave a small knock and when that didn't garner a response, they opened the door slowly to find their leader lost in thought.

Ruby stood with a damp towel wrapped around her body, water dripping from the tips of her wet hair, staring into the mirror. She was in the middle of brushing her teeth, but her attention was caught by something else. Her thoughts sorting through the things she learned about Sibyll, the tidbits about himself, and tried to piece together his evasive nature. He had told her only a small portion of what she wanted to know, and Ruby felt it was only the tip of the iceberg. What was it that he had endured to make such a torn expression? How vulnerable was he despite how collected he presented himself? And why does he use that cordial tone that Weiss uses whenever speaking with a professor? He didn't seem that far in age from the seniors to be considered old fashioned.

She was brought out of her thoughts when Yang began to shake her sister.

"Ruuuuby~! Come back to us!"

"O-o-o-ka-a-ay! Ju-ust sto-op sha-ak-ing me-ee!"

Yang had let her sister go and Ruby turned to find her team waiting at the door for her.

"What's up?" she asked, unsure why they were giving her odd stares.

"Didn't you hear us talking about our plans today?" Yang knew her sister could be an occasional airhead but to simply ignore them (even unintentionally) was completely out of character.

"We had plans?" Ruby asked once more. The young reaper wasn't aware they were going to go out as a team. Granted it was the weekend but she was hoping to meet up with Sibyll to try and get more information about him as smoothly (awkwardly) as she could.

"Well, your sister 'suggested' we all see some movie today," Weiss explained rolling her eyes over being duped by Yang. But she noticed Ruby's reluctance and began to press further. "Why? Did you have something else in mind?" Weiss secretly hoped the young girl did. Anything to avoid having to 'contribute' to the team's bonding activities like last time. While she suspected others may have tried getting closer to her for her name and affluence, she knew her teammates used her wealth as means to "break the ice" (as Yang puts it) to draw her out of her comfort zone and had no ill intent. But even the heiress felt the unusual pause in her partner's response.

"Well…" Ruby began. She always made it a point to keep herself available during the weekends to spend time with her team. But Sibyll posed this strange challenge in being unable to be cracked. And while the young hunter could often be a downer, Ruby enjoyed his company. She didn't want to feel as if she was being humored by Neptune or Sun (and she felt terrible in thinking that way of her friends) and Jaune had his own team to look after. With Sibyll being (forcibly) free, Ruby could take up his time teaching him about Vale, dust, aura, or about herself. She didn't feel the need to hold back barrage of thoughts and inquiries around him. Sibyll was to her as Ren was to Nora; patient and able to keep up with her. And she valued you that.

"I was kind of planning on visiting Sibyll today. You know, lend him some reading materials and stuff?" Ruby had proposed meekly. But the response she received was nonplussed.

"You're going to visit him _again?_ " Weiss had asked. "Haven't you already done enough for the past week?" It was a valid question filled with concern the rest of the team picked up on.

"Weiss is right sis," Yang added. "You have been pretty scarce lately during study group. I mean, we're relieved to hear he's fine but isn't he a little…" The brawler was at a lost for the right phrase or word, and Ruby can already tell where this is going.

"This is about him freaking out huh? About the hostage slip up?" she asked a bit too forcefully.

"We are just concerned Ruby," Blake had placated. "We're worried he might... take advantage of the situation…"

"You mean take advantage of me. That he'll use me to try and escape, right?"

"He _is_ under Ironwood's custody," the heiress added. "And in the same ship with that insufferable Torchwick no less. We don't know what kind of person he really is. And we think you should give him space, at least for a while."

"But he isn't like that! You never met him and you don't know him like I do!" Ruby couldn't explain why she felt so defensive over the matter. It should have been a quick yes/no situation and they would have all moved in their day, together or separated. Why did Blake or Weiss have to make so complicated? She understood their worries but still… Was it wrong of her to want to do her own thing?

"How would you know Ruby?" Blake never liked the idea of cornering someone defending another, but the concern lies with Ruby. While she was their leader and closest friend, she was still young and impressionable. Blake had encountered unsavory characters before in her time with the White Fang to know to be wary of someone friendly yet unknown. But their leader was a bit too trusting of this Sibyll character. And it appeared Ruby wouldn't back down from the issue either.

"How about this," Yang proposed. "Come spend the day with us: we'll go watch movies, eat out at somewhere nice, do a bit of shopping. You know, team bonding and stuff. And before we head back to the dorm at the day's end, we'll all go meet him ourselves. Sound like a fair deal?"

Out of the three older girls, it would only be natural for Yang to defuse the situation: Ruby was her baby sister after all and she knew just how to convince her when her sister proved to be rarely stubborn over something. Yang watched as Ruby thought it over, guilt coming over her face over how she reacted to their concerns, and hung her head down.

Yang pulled her sister close. "I just missed my little sister this week and I think the rest of their team misses their leader as well." Ruby had nodded against her shoulder and the tension had eased for now. "Alright then!" Yang's cheer filled her words as she marched her sister back into the room she could change.

After Ruby had successfully changed and the team retrieving their weapons from their locker, they made their way down to the academy's landing bay to catch a ride into the city. Yang had done her best to ease what remained of the strained atmosphere with jokes and excited small talks over the current on goings. But they all noticed Ruby withdraw from them a bit, either from anger or guilt. They only hoped she would open up to them as the day progressed. They had almost made it the docked airship before they ran into the headmaster him, appearing to take a stroll on his own. It was odd to see him without his iconic coffee mug, but his cane remained vigilant by his side. When he took notice of them, he waved and approached the girls.

"Good morning team RWBY. I see you're all up early today." Ozpin had observed.

"Mhmm! A team outing into the city with all expenses paid by the Ice Queen herself!" Yang exclaimed as she pulled the already irate heiress into a half hug to emphasize her point.

"Well, I would remind you all to keep out of trouble while in the city. But remain vigilant as always." The girls bowed respectfully to the headmaster and before Ozpin could leave, heard the youngest of them speak out.

"Um!... Professor Ozpin, sir?" she spoke.

"Yes Miss Rose? How can I be of assistance?" He watched as the young reaper fidgeted in front of him and her teammates before finally speaking.

"Could you… tell Sibyll I won't be able to visit him at the usual time today? I'll be out with my team and we might drop by later if it's okay with him… Oh! And if it's okay with General Ironwood too!" Ruby had added. The headmaster nodded.

"I'll be sure to pass along the message when I go see him. I wish you and your team to have an enjoyable weekend." The girls gave the headmaster a wave before disappearing into the departing bullhead set for the city. As they settled into their seat, Ruby felt the need to apologize as to not spoil the rest of their day.

"I'm sorry guys…" were all she could muster. Ruby's partner internally rolled her eyes over her childish antics but gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. Blake had done the same for her other side and Yang chose the more direct and familial response of placing her baby sister into a head lock. For now, it would be a day just for them.

* * *

As the headmaster watched team RWBY enter the transport bullhead and make their way to the city, he felt another presence appear behind him.

"I'm surprised you haven't told your nieces you were stopping by Qrow?" Ozpin remarked as the turned to face the man behind him.

His suit was sharp but flashy or tacky. It provided the necessary room for mobility and flexibility, the color scheme decidedly shades of black and dark grey. His sleek coat gave of the appearance of multiple feathers woven together, like the namesake implied. The coattails waved slightly in a passing breeze, giving it an almost spectral sentience as the man moved toward the headmaster. Tucked securely at the man's back was his collapsed High Caliber Sniper Scythe (or his "scyther rifle" as his nieces once put it), more simple and practical in its design. Black hair cut cleanly with precision and gave the man an edgy look, one not to be trifled with. And if his sinister ensemble wasn't enough to intimidate a common man, then his red eyes were enough to speak volumes. His main profession was a teacher at Signal Academy as Professor Qrow Branwen. When he wasn't teaching… he was a lurking shadow that sought the answers Ozpin needed.

"Official business takes priority. The girls can wait." The man spoke with a gruffness of being haggard by time over the years, but remained professional and detached when necessary.

"If you say so," Ozpin concedes as he makes his way onto Ironwood's ship. Qrow followed closely behind. "Were you able to find anything of what I asked," the headmaster inquired as they made their way through the quiet halls.

"There's nothing off the record as well. Whoever he is, he technically doesn't exist. And that shouldn't be a thing. Aside from him, I was able to scrounge up some more info on the Queen." Qrow noted as he slipped Ozpin the acquired hard drive. The headmaster uploaded all the files onto his scroll before handing it back to Qrow who proceeded to destroy the physical evidence he had brought. Ozpin decided to look over the files later, but he had a message needing to be passed on.

"Well, if you couldn't find anything on the young man, I guess our concerns rightfully placed. We can only presume him to be a threat, even with the information Miss Rose has gathered for us." Ozpin added as Qrow gave him a darkening look. The headmaster raised his hands in surrender.

"Ruby insisted on checking up on him and it was the only way we were able to learn something about him. He lets his guard down slightly, if only for her." Qrow maintained his glare with the headmaster. It wasn't that he didn't trust his niece to defend herself as he had trained her himself. But he didn't like the idea of someone unknown spending too much time with her, a sentiment shared by their over protective father.

The arrived at Sibyll's cell with the same guards at their post but Ozpin noticed the tenseness in their posture. It was rigid, eyes straight forward, and stern. In one of their hands, a familiar white coat and sheathed cavalry saber was being held as strenuous noises were heard just beyond the door. Ozpin ran his hand over his faces, knowing just what the general was up to.

"Dammit James… I warned him about this." Ozpin motioned for the guards to open but remained vigilant at their post. Even as Qrow drew and extended his weapon, Scavenging Beak, they remained firm (albeit thoroughly intimidated). The noises behind the cell's door came to a stop and opened as Ironwood walked out: the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to the elbows, his right metallic limb tucked beneath the fabric. Splotches of blood were found on the general's vest, shirt, and knuckles as he noticed the arrival of the headmaster and huntsman.

"We talked about this James. I expressly said to **not** use force when confronting him! How can we expect him to cooperate with the state he is in?" The headmaster gestured to the young hunter in the cell, considerably more bloody and beaten than he had been the day before. Sibyll's head hung low, breathing shallow, and sitting in silence.

"And do you expect Miss Rose to pry all the necessary answers from him? There are things happening beyond our control Oz and we cannot simply stand idly by as she continues to bring us only bits and pieces! The security of the kingdoms and the academy—"

"The concerns for the academy's safety are left to the headmaster and headmaster alone, James. You would do well to remember that, and while you are appointed head of security during the Vytal Tournament, sole authority within the school resides with me."

Ironwood clenches his first, enraged over the lack of action Ozpin had taken. It was **his** army's Atlesian Knights which aided the kingdom during the breach of their walls. It was **he** alone who had convinced the council members to take actions as these shadow games would not guarantee the safety of their people. Ironwood had placed his faith in the man but with the situation growing stringent, the populous anxious over the White Fang's possible involvement, it was the general alone who decided to act where Ozpin could not.

"And what would you have done? When the enemy in custody has shown himself to having outside agents at his command and able to manipulate them at his whim, what then? Would you simply converse with him while he or others plot harm against the people!?"

"I wouldn't have beaten him half conscious. In your outrage, you have shown him a viable weakness to use and have given him more than enough reason to not cooperate. He has information we need and even if you beat him, he will still have the upper hand. How can you not see that?"

"He has revealed nothing! Nothing about his accomplices, nothing about his connections or involvement the rising threat the kingdoms face."

"And you expect him to talk now?" the headmaster asked.

"All men break eventually. He will talk and I will have my answers."

Both general and headmaster squared off, challenging the other to back down in his methods, his philosophy. Ozpin knew his friend to be a competent general and leader of his own military, but had time and time again been too hasty when thinking had been critical. If Ozpin wanted to get the answers from the Sibyll, he needed to play on the young man's terms and losing any ground he could have built before the general's confrontation. The headmaster would have to plan a countermeasure in the event Sibyll decides to reveal any hand which could imply danger.

But laughter resonated though the cell's space. It wasn't of relief or mirth, but a dark acknowledgement of how the situation had become. All of them had turned to see Sibyll watching them though a bruised eyes.

"So _this_ is the true face of the prestigious general," Sibyll had chided. "Willing to bend the rules if it means he produces results, and so adamant in trying to justify your cause." The young hunter leans back against the wall resting his tired body. He raised his shackled hands to point at Ironwood.

"I crossed paths with a man like you once. Alfred was his name… Well spoken and a knowledgeable gentleman. He was just as eager in his cause as you are right now. So keen on serving the populous and protecting the peace from the surrounding threats. And he was just as… obsessed with having everything under control, being so easily simplified as he… **executed** his actions. Do know you what became of him?"

The three huntsman and guards merely watched with caution as Sibyll let his hands down.

"He finally received the results he sought after. He found the source of the threat, and eliminated it: tearing her apart over and over, making sure she would exist only in lumps of ruined flesh! And the ironic part – oh you would not believe – the ironic part was that the threat he violently ended fights for the same cause!"

Sibyll's laughter grew as he remembered those damnable Executioners and Vilebloods. How petty their grievances were over personal methods and approach. Between the three factions, including the Hunter's Workshops, those two hunted each other more than they did the beasts. All those lives could have been saved…all the wasted bloodshed. Church against Crown, only contributing to the rising body count and only the hunters of the Workshops were left to clean up their messes. Sibyll's dislike of them had shown itself time and time again whenever he chanced upon either an Executioner or Vileblood Knight: bloody remains as the young hunter walks away. He enjoyed it even more over the ironic preference of using their weapons against them. Vilebloods were ruthless, bloodthirsty, and insane, but strangely proficient in their study of the blood. Out of his reverie, Sibyll thoughts returned to the present at hand.

"So," the young hunter regarded the general once more, "what will you do now? Will I have the pleasure of seeing the beast you truly are?" And they all saw the dangerous glint in the young hunter's eye. Suddenly, he wasn't as cornered or beaten as they believed. Sibyll appeared to wear his wounds a little too proudly, eyes watching and anticipating their next move. The once reserved young man Ozpin and Ironwood had observed had gone and in its place… something truly menacing, taking enjoyment in making them feel uneasy. Ironwood made to approach the young man, intent on setting him in his place once more before Qrow held him back.

"I apologize for the general's hasty actions. He very rarely steps out of line," Ozpin said as he stepped forward. Sibyll simply watched from where he sat as the headmaster pulled out the note he had sent the night prior. All three men watched as the young hunter's hands twitched in eagerness, waiting for the headmaster to approach just a little closer.

"But before we begin, Miss Rose wanted to let you know she'll be unable to visit at her usual time. She wishes for you to know that she'll be in the city with her team and she and her team may drop by later if you are willing."

And just as quickly the threatening presence had made itself known it had just as quickly disappeared. The violent shine in his eyes have dulled and reverted back to his more composed form. Sibyll's body relaxed at the mention of the young girl's name and Qrow kept a close eye on him, just in case it was a feint. But the old bird of a hunter was surprised as he watched Sibyll's expression struggle between bouts of shame and sadness, unsure which of the two should take more precedence.

"I see," Sibyll replies. He points to the note in Ozpin's hands.

"You received my note," the young hunter observes.

"I did, although I have to ask how it came to be in the possession of the general if you addressed it to me."

"I wanted to see how the esteemed general would react." He took a quick glance at Ironwood before returning to the headmaster. "And he did not disappoint."

"And the manner of which it has arrived to his office?"

"A Messenger had delivered it for me." Sibyll saw the skepticism in all their eyes and sighed, knowing he could have worded that differently.

"They act as their name implies: carrying out my messages should I ever need them to do so. Aside from that, they cannot physically interact with another person aside from me. Think of it… as a sort of passive semblance skill?" The young hunter explained as best as he could, using what Ruby briefly taught him on the subject. It was only natural of them to not trust his words, but at least the effort was made and the headmaster accepted it.

Ozpin raised the letter to Sibyll.

"Your challenge… Should I choose to accept your terms, how do I know you will uphold your end?" the headmaster asks.

"And how do I know my safety is guaranteed if I reveal anything anyways? I could enlighten you with everything I know, everything that motivates me to fulfill my mission. But what of me then? What if… the knowledge you gain is more terrible than you could possibly imagine? Would you continue to pump as much information from me as you could? When you realize there is nothing left for you to learn, it may already be too late…"

The warning in danger hung in the air as Sibyll chuckles to himself lightly. "So I have as much say in this matter as you do. I cannot proceed with my work if I continue to be confined and you cannot focus on your cause without first deeming my alliance."

The young hunter stood and began to approach the headmaster. The guards raised their rifles, loading a round into the chamber. Qrow readies Beak to strike and Ironwood draws his saber, the runes on its blade emitting a subtle glow. It was only the headmaster who remained unarmed as the young hunter stood before him, slowly raising his shackled hands out before him.

"I believe we can trust each other to hold our ends."

"Trust is either made or earned."

"Then let us to earn it on the field of combat."

Sibyll motions again to his outstretched, open hand.

"I swear on my name as a Hunter."

It could be a ruse. The young hunter could be trying to create an opening by taking the headmaster hostage. He could use him as leverage for his escape and a violent pursuit would be inevitable. Students and faculty could be harmed and the young hunter's skills in evasion had yet to be determined. Maybe he would escape. Maybe he wouldn't. Too many variables, too many signs screaming danger in those three experienced hunters and their breathing hitched as the headmaster reached out…

…and shook Sibyll's hand.

* * *

"That…was…AMAZING!" Ruby shouted in excitement as the group left the theater. She had finally returned to her usual self after they spent the good part of their morning and afternoon shopping and tasting the Valean delights. When the hour turned for their movies starts, all four girls loaded up with concessions (Yang's treat) and as the opening action sequence began, Ruby was hooked. The young reaper began to recount her favorite scenes in the movie (all the action scenes) and gushed over all the techs and iconic weapons the heroes wielded.

"I mean… did you see how many zombies that shield went through? Like, thirty of them! _Fwssssh!_ " Ruby made swiping motions with her arms and began to add her own sounds effects of visceral slicing and dicing.

"I still don't think it makes sense," Blake added. "I mean, the body shuts down when they die right? So by extension, the brain shouldn't even be able to make them move in the first place."

"You're thinking _waaay_ too much into it Blakey," Yang said as she wrapped an arm around her partner's shoulders. "I mean, it was alright but people only watch for the fun factor. Nobody wants to watch a zombie flick for the _story_. They want explosions! Guns! And they want catchy one liners!"

"I'm pretty sure **you're** the only one who enjoys them Yang."

They were briefly interrupted by Ruby who zoomed past them to jump on a nearby bench shouting "Unleash the Bulk!" to sky. Yang gave Blake a look as the faunus looked in any other direction.

"Your sister doesn't count."

Yang shrugged and turned to the heiress. "What about you Weiss? Any thoughts?"

Weiss for her part seemed partially disinterested. "I've seen better."

Ruby, Yang, and Blake turned to stare at their friend incredulously. They all knew she was nit-picky when it came to movies. She only favored genres of slow burn romances or the occasional historical drama. To think she has seen other movies of the undead nature was a first.

"What?" she asked as she looked up to them.

"W never pegged you for a 'gore-core' kind of girl," Yang said. The heiress rolled her eyes and continued you walking forward.

"Just because I conduct myself with class doesn't mean I'm snobby," she explained, giving a quick glare when she heard her snort at her words. "Mother would watch them with my sister and I whenever father was away on a trip. He hated it but it was one of mother's favorite hobbies."

Ruby sidled up to her partner, gently bumping shoulders. "Your mom sounds pretty awesome Weiss." The heiress nodded, allowing just a small smile to form as she remembered those nights her and her sister snuggling up to their mother over the sound of terrified screams. She gave a slight cough into her hands before turning back to the team.

"So, what's next? Seeing as the day is almost coming a close, our options are limited."

"Well~" Yang began before Blake cut her off.

"We're not going to that club you frequent Yang," the faunus said, ensuring her partner knew she was serious.

"Ah come on! We can get free drinks and everything!" the brawler said, hoping a little incentive was enough to sway them over.

"But we're underage," Ruby said as she worried over doing something they shouldn't.

"And we have curfew coming up," Weiss added in support for her partner. As Yang realized she was outnumber three-to-one, she gave up with a sigh and followed the rest of them in the final stretches of their shopping. It wasn't until they were close to the ship returning to the academy did Yang receive a strange message from Jaune.

"Hey Ruby," Yang said as she drew her sister's attention. "You didn't lose Crescent Rose today, right?" Ruby gave her a confused look as she pulled her "baby" to show them.

"I always keep her secured whenever I take her. Why?"

Yang looks back to the message on her scroll and showed them team:

 _Hey Yang,_

 _We couldn't get in touch with Ruby. Pyrrha and I were training when we saw someone carrying her weapon (?) and walking away with Ozpin and a few others. She isn't in trouble, is she?_

The message ends there and while Blake and Weiss were thinking about what this meant, both sisters were beginning to guess who Jaune was referring to.

"Ask what he looks like," Ruby told her sister, already feeling they knew who it was. Yang typed away accordingly and the response was brief but detailed:

 _Can't tell for sure (we were pretty high up) but he's in all black. Long coat and sorta reminds us of a Nevermore. But Pyrrha and I are sure he was carrying Ruby's weapon. But in all black?_

"Do you think it's serious?" Ruby looked at her sister worriedly.

"It could be…" Yang's response was just as daunting and both sisters shared a look.

"Do you two already know who he is?" Blake asked, already sensing the girls tense up. They both nodded.

"It's our Uncle Qrow." Yang said as the continued to board the ship. The girls took their seats and the ship lifted off in its headway return trip.

"And is that… a bad thing?" the heiress tried to carefully phrase.

"Not really!" Ruby insisted but the monochrome pair of the team seemed reluctant to accept the answer. "It's just that, he never really leaves Signal Academy."

"He's a teacher?" the faunus asks.

"Mhm! A really good one if all the students and faculty really respect him!"

"So why is him leaving the place he teaches something to be worried about?" Weiss poses.

The sisters share another look before turning back to them.

"Well, he only ever leaves if… there's trouble…" Ruby says carefully.

"Trouble?"

Yang nods and explains further. "When he's not teaching, he returns to being a Huntsman. But the nature of his work isn't always… known? All dad tells us is that our uncle does the work no one else can. Ruby and I only know it's dangerous because he often visits us with new injuries."

It wasn't unusual for the girls to see their uncle bearing newer and newer healing wounds or scars, but Ruby only knew his job demanded a lot. She had only hoped his work this time around was too bad to stop him from seeing them.

"Maybe he's seeing Ozpin for work?" Weiss suggested. "I mean, if Arc saw your uncle with the headmaster, it can't be that bad." The ship landed in Beacon depositing the returning students and the air of uncertainty followed the girls.

"I guess…" Ruby relented.

Yang's scroll beeped once more and as the brawler read the message, her expression told of a pained confusion.

"What is it?" Blake asked.

"Ren just relayed with Jaune: it seems both him and Nora saw the headmasters and our uncle escorting someone earlier today through the school. It was someone…wearing a medical gown." Immediately the girls knew who the escort was and turned to look at the young girl, shocked at what the meaning could imply, and before they could say anything she disappeared in a flurry of rose petals.

"Damn it!" Yang shouted as they proceeded to run after their leading, the trail of petals already dissolving in her wake. The brawler sent a message to Jaune asking where specifically he was seen to be taken, but a quick response told them they didn't know. It had been hours ago when Ren and Nora noticed the group, and they could already be gone by then.

"The situation can't **that** serious right," the faunus asked but her partners face said it all.

"I told you I was looking for my mother right?" Yang had reminded and when Blake nodded in confirmation, she continued.

"Well when you go from one information broker to another, you pick up a lot of extra other details. My uncle… was one of them." They continued to chase after Ruby but after the trail of rose petals went cold, they took a break to see the possible building she could have run into.

"I learned that his work was always under the table and cut through a lot of red tape. And while we are trained to hunt down Grimm… he was trained to hunt down renegade hunters."

Silence fell between the two as Weiss tried to contact Ruby through her scroll.

"There was a saying about him back at Signal," Yang spoke with forbidding.

 _"The crow only leaves his nest when death comes around."_

* * *

Sibyll was surprised his clothes still fit, despite not having worn it for a long time. As he buttoned his vest closed, the young hunter remembers waking up in Yharnam for the first time. Like many who have traveled to reach it, he sought to cure himself of his ailments. He always slipped into bouts of fevers and colds during his travels. Breathing became a constant chore, especially when he coughed up phlegm… or blood.

Consumption.

A passing doctor had diagnosed him and while confirming [what] exactly was killing him, it was nothing new. It was just a word which signed away his life to a painful end. Like the other faceless figures in his memory, he would have died miserably and in suffering. But something ushered him to continue to find this fabled cure-all in a distant place and _live_. To not waste the life someone else has given him.

Sibyll rolled his sleeves back to what he felt was appropriate and looked down at the Messengers waiting at his feet.

"You four must think yourselves clever," he muttered as the small creatures looked up to him in awe. Sibyll couldn't blame them. With not knowing the state of the Hunter's Dream after his departure, he couldn't complain over what the little things have brought him. He had even asked if the Doll was okay, but they continued to watch him, unable to answer or emote anything in place for a response.

Sibyll then looked to the markings on the underside of his forearms: Caryll runes in their physical representation. It was a strange side effect when it came to inscribing the various insignia as it had to be done within his mind and memory. To see the actual runes on his arms even puzzled Gehrman. And the symbols were just as consistent as Sibyll allowed them to be: it changed when the young hunter exchanges the signs in his mind with others he came to learn.

 _Blood Rapture_

 _Clawmark_

 _Moon_

To Sibyll, it was strange how his current signs were the most preferred and the synonymous nature pertaining to the letting and drawing of blood.

The only rune which he vowed to never change was the sigil of the Hunters. He ran his fingers over the inverted mark, remembering the one who had presented it to him.

He heard a knock at the door and turned to see the man dressed in black enter. Even if the Messengers couldn't be seen by anyone except the young hunter, they opted to disappear. He unconsciously pats the pocket holding the tear stone, ensuring it's tucked away safely.

"Ah, is it time already?" Sibyll asks as he gives himself the once over. His clothes were in place and it would have to do for now in terms of protection, hoping to salvage what was left in the medical wards care. The young hunter turned to the man as he received no response. "Well, let us carry on."

Sibyll leaves to follow the gentlemen through the emptied halls. The young hunter was amazed over the size of the dueling arena and the degree of skill the students had shown. Before he could linger too long, he was ushered into a spare prep room as the headmaster evacuated the building for "repair purposes." As both men made their way back to the arena, Sibyll thought it best to try and attempt small talk.

"So you must be the uncle the young miss speaks highly about," Sibyll thought aloud. He noticed his statement didn't elicit a response and began to prod further.

"She tells me that you are also a teacher, specifically with combat."

"…"

"You must be quite the mentor for her to be so skilled at such an age."

"…"

Sibyll watches the gentleman before him continue to walk without a word and he chooses to drop the effort entirely. They stop before the entrance to the grounds of the arena and before Sibyll reaches for the handle, he is thrown against a wall and pinned there. The young hunter can feel a pressure increase against his throat as the gentleman's arm is kept firmly there.

"Stay away from her," the gentleman warns. He emphasizes his point by applying more force, but Sibyll's eyes remained calm. He was released from his hold, and the young hunter ran his hand over his throat to massage his muscles.

"I did not exactly choose her to be my company. She came of her own volition and I simply complied with etiquette." Sibyll looks over to Qrow, as he recalls Ruby stating it.

"Go ahead, test me," Qrow said as he drew his weapon. The young hunter remained unimpressed but cautious. "But don't think I'm above killing a man if he's a threat."

"Is that not the nature of all crows?" Sibyll walks past and allows his words to sink in. The young hunter knew of only one other hunter whose work followed the same vein.

Eileen the Crow: the Hunter of Hunters.

She had warned him countless times to steer clear of other frenzied hunters, adamantly staking them as her marks. His role was merely to focus on the beasts and she advised Sibyll to hunt with extreme prejudice: there were no more "humans" left after all.

But it was only after the regrettable encounter with Father Gascoigne that Sibyll understood the severity Yharnam faced. The young hunter fought back in self defense and saw firsthand the true terror of the scourge, people becoming terrible beasts from the tainted blood. He wasn't aware that prolonged resistance to the plague would only create even greater beasts and turning was inevitable. The young hunter didn't know that the forsaken Father had slain his own wife during his blood addled frenzy. Sibyll didn't know that by killing Gascoigne, he had condemned his children to death.

Eileen offered no consolation when their paths had crossed again in the form of the mad Hunter Henryk. She held her own but Sibyll saw the fight slowly turn against her. The young hunter had carelessly joined in to cover her and in return for his rushed support, received the first of many scars. It was then the young hunter learned of Henryk and Gascoigne's deep seated friendship. How the Hunter had finally lost himself to grief over the death of his friend. And the mad Hunter grew thirsty for revenge over the one who had slain the poor Father. It was Eileen who told Sibyll how Henryk would lie in wait, hoping the young hunter would return. How, had she not gotten to him first, Sibyll would have already been dead.

Her words were cold, detached, and realistically sharp.

But Sibyll had proven himself twice over to her. He was able to withstand the madness of taking the lives of other hunters to save them. The third and final time was when the old Crow had accepted him as one of hers: a Hunter forced to hunt the others by necessity. But by then Sibyll already decided to take up her mantle with Gehrman's teachings. He became a Hunter who stalks both men and beasts.

As Sibyll entered and made his way to the center of the arena, he knew he would have to prove himself once more. No more niceties, no more waiting. If she were still alive to see him now, she'd only be disappointed.

 _"What are you still doing here? A hunter must hunt."_

Her words were a solemn reminder.

Sibyll came to a stop a few paces away from the headmaster with Qrow standing between them. Off to the arena's sides were the general himself and the accompanying Professor Goodwitch. The stern yet worried look did not go unnoticed by the headmaster but he knew she trusted him enough to hold his own.

"I will preside over this duel," Qrow says to both men. He raises the issue of challenge before them and asks if they agree to the terms set before them. Both Ozpin and Sibyll nod and Qrow steps back to the other edges of the ring. A banner overhead lights up displaying Ozpin's photo and a meter gauging his aura. The other banner remains unused and a testament to the disadvantage Sibyll finds himself with.

 _"If aura can be used to guard one from injuries, then I must deplete it before I can act,"_ Sibyll thinks to himself. The full green bar is unassuming but it would be foolish of him to assume the man before him could be taken lightly. His title of "Headmaster" is just as respected as the title of "First Hunter." Only the prominent few would receive such titles. Sibyll stretched out his limbs, popping all the tired, unused joints, and readying himself into an evasive stance.

"You're going to fight unarmed?" the headmaster asks as he readies his cane.

Sibyll shrugs. "Were you planning on arming me anyways?"

"Hmm… I suppose not." Ozpin raises his cane to aim at Sibyll, unsheathed and fingers resting cautiously on the trigger of a hand guard.

The young hunter smiles and gives a customary bow.

"Then may the better Hunter survive."

* * *

 **{For ambient music, listen to the Bloodborne OST - "The Hunter". I had that playing in the background while writing this scene.}**

Sibyll dashes forward to cross the distance between him and the headmaster with surprising swiftness. Ozpin hadn't anticipated for the young hunter to strike first unarmed and jumped back, avoiding a right hook. The headmaster took the opportunity of vulnerability to make a horizontal swing, but just as quick Sibyll made the distance, he dashed back out of the cane's reach.

They began to circle each other, testing the waters with an occasional exchange of hits before retreating back a safe distance. Sibyll had yet to land any of his strikes and in turn received a fair bit of pain for his troubles. The young hunter could feel the bruises begin to form on his arms and torso, the headmaster deeming it not yet necessary to exercise his weapon's full potential. Sibyll charges forth again, avoiding and sidestepping Ozpin's attack when necessary, and throws a series of straights and jabs with no success. The side of the cane surprises Sibyll with a diagonal upward strike to his chest, and the young hunter uses the momentum to rush backwards. But the situation was far from lost, giving him just enough insight on slight patterns of each attack.

 _"His weapon forces me to stay at bay. I cannot hope to do much unless I slip by his guard,"_ Sibyll thinks as he ducks under another swing of the headmaster's cane before jumping back. _"I need just to find an opening… there!"_

Ozpin rushes at Sibyll, his cane thrusting forward as he anticipates the young hunter to dash back into a retreat. From the side, both Ironwood and Goodwitch watch as Sibyll dashes forward to meet the attack head on and just barely slip under the body of the cane, circumventing the headmaster and pulls his right hand back. They watch as his fist begins to glow white as he positions himself in the headmaster's blind spot, and the young hunter lands his first strike.

Sibyll knows he isn't the strongest of the hunters, struggling to competently wield the heavier set of the workshop's weapons. It had given the Old Hunter a brief laugh as he struggled to even stand, falling backwards with the weight of the Kirkhammer being too much, and the Doll had applauded his efforts (not in jest, Sibyll knows). The young hunter swore he would never use such obtrusive tools and trained his body to focus on being quicker than his prey. And where he lacked in strength he compensated for gauging a body's weak point, studying anatomy from the old texts whenever he could in his brief respite.

So it wasn't a surprise to the young hunter when he feels his fist connect with the small of the headmaster's exposed back, quickly calculating the position of the kidneys, and watches as the man crumple to his knees.

 _"Maximize your attacks whenever possible and always in the prey's blind spot,"_ German would say. There was nothing dishonorable in playing dirty with your opponent, especially when they are just as eager to kill the young hunter as he was in killing them. Even with confrontations with other hunters, the act of bowing to one another is the only formality ever maintained. Any action after is the vicious act of self preservation when losing a fight means death.

With Ozpin recovering from the attack, Sibyll sees the opportunity to take the upper hand in their duel. He pulls his hand back once more, intent on tearing into the exposed back for bloody results. Sibyll can feel his breath hitch slightly, hoping to end the matter quickly, and plunges his hand forth and is met with nothing.

Ozpin had pulled the trigger of his hand guard, the gears in his cane turning and propels him away as his semblance activates. Sibyll's confusion is answered as he finds the headmaster a safe distance away and finally revealing the hidden blade.

The young hunter takes a quick look over to the headmaster's aura gauge and finds that the damage done was small, but not insignificant. He had felt the resistance made against his fist, experiencing the potential of aura firsthand.

"You are not to be taken lightly I see," Ozpin comments. He raises the blade of his cane to Sibyll.

"I would not have expected anything else," Sibyll obliges.

"While this match had proven interesting, I'm afraid I will have to end it."

Sibyll's eyes watch the headmaster disappear before him within a blink. His body screams to move and he rolls to the side, raising his arms to protect himself from the unseen slash, blood being drawn. He rolls back into an evasive stance and turn to see the Ozpin disappear once more. Sibyll continues to sidestep and dodge the blade, allowing his body's instinct to take full control, and using his arms to guard his chest whenever possible.

 _"His movement… it is… much too fast…"_ Sibyll thinks as he feels something sweeping his feet off balance. Ozpin had taken the opening knock the young hunter off balance and as he lands with his back to the floor, the headmaster promptly places the tip of his blade against his torso. Sibyll recovers from the move but can feel the edge of the blade prompting him to pause. He looks up to see Ozpin's determined eyes meet his.

"You have put forth a great effort," Ozpin says as he is moments away from securing victory.

Sibyll props himself up slowly, and thinks of alternative means for escape which don't include losing the duel. His body tenses as he sees Ozpin draw his weapon back for an attack and for the young hunter, time slows. His mind was frantically working in overdrive trying to evaluate his means of escape. His heart tensed up as he heard the sound of something bubbling by his right hand, ethereal, and felt a rush of relief as his fingers wrapped around a curved handle.

 _"You little devils,"_ he thought as he pulled the weapon from the Messengers' hold. Sibyll forced his body to roll away from the strike and as Ozpin readied to attack once more, the young hunter pushed forward off the ground, striking at the same time.

Both men strike and both men hit their marks.

Ozpin's blade pierces the young hunter's chest, cutting through his left lung and exciting the opposite end. He can see Sibyll wince in pain, hear his breathing become labored. But the headmaster felt something sharp cut him diagonally, serrated edges tearing into his clothes and flash: too many jagged teeth for his aura to handle. The young hunter's slash followed through, spilling blood over himself and on the ground.

Before any more could be done, Sibyll feels a force pull him away from the headmaster and slam him into the furthest wall. Both Ironwood and Goodwitch stand guard in front of the down hunter as Qrow works on staunching the bleeding.

"When did he arm himself?" Goodwitch asks, keeping her extended crop aimed at the young hunter whose his body remained bent over.

"I don't know but hopefully the surveillance Ozpin prepared beforehand will enlighten us," the general replies as he turns to see Qrow apply his aura to the wounds, already closing under his care.

From the other side of the arena, Sibyll struggles to breathe. He can feel the blade in his chest move slight, blood filling his lungs, but knows that isn't the source. It had been when his strike landed on the headmaster and the blood… the blood. He slowly pulls the cane out from his body and the young hunter begins to glow in a faded orange light. The wounds he received began to stitch itself together as the headmaster's blood surges into the bloody openings. But Sibyll can still feel his chest contract and expand erratically, his mind beginning to hear the murmuring of voices and sounds of deadened screams.

So many voices were crying out in pain, crying out in grief. So many voices… begging… screaming…

He can hear them all.

Oh, those voices.

Why?

Why them?

Why us?

Why me?

Sibyll looks across the arena and his eyes meet with Ozpin's: the headmaster was sweating, his breath staggered, and carried a sense of desperation… a sense of remorse…

An image flashes into Sibyll's mind of a man standing alone in the remains of a town, burned and utterly destroyed. A man much younger than the headmaster before him, and alone with so many bodies around him, fallen in combat? Were they his comrades? Were they the enemy? But… those that have fallen… they couldn't be… they were only simple people…

No armaments, no regalia, nothing to distinguish them as a threat.

The man in the image looks off to the side, to see his comrade slumped against the side of a building where a young woman was tending to his wounded arm… or what remained of it. His comrades meet his eyes: anger, betrayal, sadness, and dreadful acceptance.

The young man looks around to the fallen.

So many innocents, they could have been saved.

If only they were sooner. If only they weren't hasty, they wouldn't have…

His composure breaks and Sibyll watches as a younger Ozpin screams his agonizing heart to the unfurled skies, the passing rain weeps over the land. His scream fills the young hunter's ears. All of their screams do.

Oh, the voices.

Oh, the echoing sadness in the blood.

It sang a symphony of anguish and violence.

It was… _it was…!_

It was a song… **so** … **sweet** … to the hunter's ears.

He stood up, feeling his grip tighten over the handle of the Saw Cleaver he was so wonderfully gifted. The young hunter looks up to see the general and woman raise their weapons, ready to act, and he laughed. Laughed at their grave expressions as she slowly approached, ducking and sidestepping the dust based spells from the witch… A witch… so terribly in need of being burned, slowly… And the general? Oh, the young hunter will have his pleasure breaking him, rending him of his offending flesh, and propped up for the whole of the world to see.

 **"You are just as guilty,"** the young hunter thinks during his approach.

"How was it!?" Sibyll calls out to the four in the room. "How did it feel to literally disarm your comrade headmaster?" His question forces the adults to pause in their actions. How did he know? Only a few knew of what happened in that village, how Ironwood's mistake had forced them to arrive too late. How between him and the headmaster, they fought. How their team had disbanded shortly after the war's end. They remained distant friends, but they never forgot or forgave themselves. So how?

"Did if feel righteous? His insubordination killed all those people! **YOU** killed all those people. So tell me… how did it feel to realize the weight of your sin?" They watched as the young hunter flicked his weapon open: what was once to be seen as a cruel saw blade had become an even crueler cleaver.

"No matter… Your blood has spoken for all of you… Allow me to absolve you of all your grief!"

Sibyll dashes forward, feeling abhorrently empowered from the blood he just received. He could feel it within his veins, a delectable hint of the headmaster's style of fighting. All those years of combat, flowing through practiced muscles and moving like a second nature. Just how much more could he learn from the man? How much more could he gain from all of them?

Qrow had sped forward, propelled by the knocked of his sniper scythe and blocks an incoming strike.

"Glynda, James, get Ozpin out of here now!" he yells as he pushes back the now frenzied hunter. They comply without complaint, each taking the headmaster's arms over their shoulders and made for the exit. The hunter tries to quickstep to their direction but is knocked back by the blunt side of the scythe's edge. He growls, looking towards Qrow as he covers their escape. A man…No… Another Hunter is stopping him from his prey.

"I will not allow you leave this place alive," Qrow says solemnly as he positions Beak just behind him, ready to fire himself forward.

"You are not the first to try," the young and frenzied hunter growls back.

Sibyll remembers the state Eileen was after her last encounter with another mad hunter. He had gone in her stead, slain the man, and ushered her weakening body to Cathedral Ward. She had recovered… but she too had succumbed.

He remembers following her trail of blood back to where the Vicar once resided. How he climbed those awful steps to see her stand before him, mask long discarded. Her faced had been considerably aged and tired… but something behind her eyes screamed of an unrestrained madness. She had, like those she had hunted, become mad with the blood such long exposure. He did her the mercy she had given to others and the young hunter had slain the last of the Crows.

"Tell me," Sibyll began as he reached down to take a Hunter's Pistol from the Messenger's at his feet, "can a headless Crow still fly?"

* * *

Ruby had rushed around the school, trying to find her uncle and her friend. She had been an erratic red blur around the school, asking for their whereabouts from anyone she could. She feared the worst may come to happen and she had been affirmed when she crossed paths with her wounded headmaster.

"Professors!" she called out to the group as Ironwood called for additional medical backup and Goodwitch kept a close eye on Ozpin. The young reaper stopped before them, her eyes noticing the trouble in the professors' expressions.

"Where are they?" she asked, hoping to stop whatever transpired as best she could.

"We can't allow you to get involved Miss Rose," Goodwitch said sternly as she looked over to the young girl. "The situation has gotten out of hand and your uncle—"

"They're fighting?!"

It can't be. They couldn't be fighting! What reason would have them come to blows? She turned to look at the headmaster to see the diagonal slash across his chest, healed enough to stop the bleeding but freshly scarred.

"Did… did _he_ do this Professor?" the young reapers asks Ozpin. He couldn't meet the young girl's eyes.

"I'm sorry Ruby…He has already been deemed a threat… We cannot let him go."

A weight swells in her chest, knowing what that meant for Sibyll. Ruby's hands grip themselves tightly. It wasn't supposed to be this way. She and her team would visit him and she would prove that he meant no harm. That he was forced to act. That he would never hurt someone voluntarily. Right?

"I've called for a medical team and sent a squadron of the Knights to the dueling arena. If Qrow is overwhelmed, they'll buy him enough time to finish the job."

Her uncle… No, he wouldn't… They wouldn't…!

Ruby felt she could still stop them, stop what the general's words implied before it was too late. She started to break into a run before feeling her hood resist, pulling her back. She turn to see Goodwitch's riding crop aimed at her, a spell meant to detain her.

"I will not allow you to endanger yourself Miss Rose," were the sorceress' words. Ruby struggled, trying to use her semblance to pull away from the spell. If she couldn't, Sibyll would die. Both Sibyll and her Uncle Qrow would die. She would lose people again and she couldn't allow that to happen. Not when she is physically capable now. Not when she had the power to do **something**. She reached for the clasp around her neck, and pulled.

Her body slipped free and used her semblance to break away from the professors, avoiding her casting whenever she could… and abadoning her signature red hood behind.

She burst through the doors of the building, and began to ran along the hallway in hopes of finding the arena her uncle and friend were. She heard fighting, a loud crash, and then silence from the door furthest away and with the last bit of her aura, propelled her to it and entered.

She saw them both bloodied and wounded. The arena itself partially destroyed, a result of their battle having gone into the extremes, past the realm of self defense or subduing the other. This was a fight to kill.

Ruby saw Sibyll stand over her uncle, covered in so much blood and bearing just as many cuts. Her uncle's weapon far out of his reach, and he was clutching his right shoulder where Sibyll's pistol was aimed at. And in Sibyll's other hand was a weapon Ruby didn't recognize: an extended curved and thick blade resting on a worn hilt, both covered in bandages and what she believes is her uncle's blood. It was poised overhead, simply waiting at the behest of the body. She saw Sibyll's face painted a sickly crimson, but his smile froze her to the core.

This isn't the light-hearted Sibyll who laughed at her stories involving her team and friends.

This isn't the Sibyll whose face scrunched up as he tried to understand the things she taught him.

This isn't the same Sibyll who seemed so afraid and lost.

The person before her wasn't her friend. And as she saw the blade begin to come down, the young reaper cried out.

"NO!" Ruby deftly pulled out Crescent Rose in its rifle form and began firing at the person who once was. Over and over, his body shaking with it precise hit.

" **NO NO NO NO NO NO**!" She continued to fire, steadily making her way over to where her uncle was. The young hunter's body continued to shake with each impact and he finally looked up to the young girl.

Confusion and pain filled his expression and the last of her sniper rounds had knocked him back and away. His body collapsed to the floor and he struggled to move. His hand reached up, trying to grab for something. Ruby continued to fire, her weapon only resounding in clicks as she finally reached her uncle. The weapon slips from her hand, clattering against the floor, and she fell to her knees.

She had killed him this time.

She truly killed him because she had to.

If she didn't, it would be her uncle lying motionless on the arena floor. Tears began to flow and she couldn't bear realizing what she he done… had to do. She cried out, hugging herself tightly and Qrow tried to reach out for his niece. To reach out and console her as he never meant for her to do **his** job. Qrow had been taken by surprised from how powerful the round had been when it passed cleaning though this shoulder. It had staggered him, leaving him open but the most baffling thing was how the young hunter tried to eviscerate him barehanded. _Tried_ to. Qrow's aura had held out long enough to stop the young hunter in his endeavor to disembowel him.

Ruby's sob filled the quiet arena as both uncle and niece awaited the arrival of support and the retrieval of the body. Yet a subtle glowing had gotten both their attention and they turned to see Sibyll's body covered with vaporous light. They watched as his body began to disappear in pieces, slowly at first, before he vanished completely in the pale light.

When the Knights had appeared to gain control over the situation, and medical personnel had begun treating Qrow, neither of the two could explain what had happened. How could they? They had done away with a potential threat and his body simply disappears. Who would believe them when they couldn't believe it themselves? And not even his weapons remained to prove their claim.

* * *

It wasn't the most violent death Sibyll had suffered.

The young hunter had been admittedly torn, bitten, and beaten in a wide variety from his fair share of men and beasts. The city of Yharnam had proven time and time again to be wholly unforgiving and the various scars over his body would agree. He had often been sent back to the lanterns feeling frustrated more so than actual grief and when his hunt _had_ been successful, he returns to feeling his usual self.

But **this** death was the most sobering for Sibyll.

He didn't think he would fall into a state of frenzy from the echoes within the headmaster's blood or be pushed further from the blood residing in Ruby's uncle. The things he learned from the man named Qrow, the terrors he hides had enticed him to become so bloodthirsty and beyond his own control. He was truly intent on beheading the man before the young girl intervened.

When he saw her eyes… How terribly surprised she was to find him in the state he was, how grief stricken her expression turned when continued to fire on him… From her presence alone his frenzy had been quelled.

But it was already too late.

As he lay on that ground in the arena, Sibyll realized he may have lost his **only** ally in this strange world. Sure, she had been acting as an envoy for her superiors but she _had_ taught him various things necessary of their world. She didn't need to check up on him, even if she felt it was her responsibility to do so. She truly didn't to add so much effort in getting to know him but she had if only slightly. And in turn he knew a fair amount about her, enough to elicit some measurement of care from the young hunter.

He _had_ cared about what she thought of him.

He _had_ cared about why she sought to prove him a friend.

He **had cared**.

But any effort she had made had vanished during his fight. Sibyll didn't anticipate losing control over his own madness and it had cost him greatly. If he were able to return and begin his work in preventing the early stages of the plague, he would have to do so, on his own.

"And maybe that is for the better," he said to himself as he awakened in the Hunter's Dream. The smell of familiar soil greeted him and as he opened his eyes, he recognized the cloudy realm around him. Not quite dusk and not quite dawn. The moon still hung overhead, but it was the same moon which existed over Remnant. Sibyll forces himself off the ground to stand, hoping to find the Doll. The young hunter hopes Gehrman was okay as well and that together they could formulate a plan in the Workshop.

Yet what he found astounds him.

In the place where the Workshop _should_ have stood was barren, as if ripped out from the soil. He ran up the steps, unsure if what he saw was true and felt it so when his hands took up a bit of soil. He ran back around to where his mentor last stood only to find signs of a battle: marks clawing the ground and a few headstones shattered. The great tree itself remained standing, yet it held its own scars as something had marked it as its own.

As Sibyll searched the rest of the Dream, his four faithful Messenger's try to grab his attention. They were hoping that they and the other Messengers would be able pass on a message to their master. But his eyes were searching for someone else, becoming anxious as he scoured the space. The young hunter was slightly relieved to see the coffin still in tact, resting atop of a surplus of struggling Messengers doing their best to move it into the open. But for the moment, Sibyll needed to find _her_. He needed to find the Doll.

And when the young hunter couldn't… he had felt truly alone for the first time in a long while.

* * *

 **A/N: And there we have it! The Hunter's Dream is totally fractured, our young Hunter is to be treated as a threat, and Ruby's faith in her new friend is most likely shattered. Man, I have to say that this chapter had taken the longest time to write as well and I guess I'm already anticipating for the habit to repeat later on. But now, to address a few concerns:**

 **Some of you wanted for Sibyll to be an overly strong character for the story. And I totally get it: if our young Hunter was tough enough to survive the Bloodborne story arc, he should (by default) be stronger than the characters in the RWBYverse. I could agree and say that the use of the Doll and blood echoes have made him considerably durable and resilient. But I felt that if I did that, then the story would be too... boring.**

 **Which is _why_ I made Sibyll considerably weaker in a world foreign to him. Why I made him more focused (or geared) towards being proficient in the Skill category for combat purposes. And why _especially_ Sibyll would struggle with an opponent whose soul is protecting them. I sometimes feel authors who decided to write BloodbornexRWBY fanfiction forget that aura does cool stuff like that. And while I could go and give our hero the use of aura as well, I feel it would detract from the overall story.**

 **Sibyll, in essence, doesn't belong in RWBY's world. His existence is kind of unnatural and he is still bound by the rules of the world he came from. And while our Hunter becomes accustomed to this new world, I still think of him as an outsider forced to be there.**

 **I hope my explanation over the direction I wish to take the story doesn't offend or put some of you off over reading it.**

 **There are still a lot of things I mean to write and include that could (hopefully) surprise and intrigue you. If you're willing, stick around to find out what happens next. Thanks for taking the time to read and until next time.**


	6. Searching for Hallowed Grounds

**A/N: I am not well versed in the concept of "trigger warnings" but sensitive subjects lie ahead. It was to be expected considering the nature of the crossfiction but I do hope it doesn't deter you from reading.**

* * *

Sibyll sat on the steps of the once present Hunter's Workshop with his head in his hands. After helping the Messengers bring the storage box out next to the Messengers' Bath (and stowing the Hunter's Pistol and Saw Cleaver away), he had decided to take a moment to compose himself.

Many of the pale creatures crowded around him: the four he recognized as his own and the rest whose masters they have been spirited away from. Sibyll was all that was left for them and vice versa. So they did their best to comfort the remaining hunter. He looked up from his hands to look over his current company, some vying for more attention than the others. One of his Messengers, the little one with the white bow, had nestled itself within his vest and fallen asleep.

He ran his thumb over the top of her (his?) head and heard a pleased gurgle. Sibyll came to terms with his company after realizing he would be without the Doll's assistance for a time. The young hunter couldn't find any traces of a struggle or a fight that would have brought harm to her, and he could only assume she had simply disappeared. Even as he thought about the note the other Messengers have given him, it still brought to no explanation:

 _"Establish the Dream."_

Sibyll didn't know if the Doll had written it herself (did she ever write in a Hunter's absence?), but he could feel that familiar sense of safety emanating from those words. But what did it mean to "establish the dream" in context?

Sibyll **is** presently there in the place of the Dream, interacting with the restless Messengers, and can walk the grounds save for jumping over the edge again.

 _"Aside from the disappearance of the building and Doll, what else could be different?"_ Sibyll had thought to himself. The three constants of the Dream were missing and yet it continues to persist with his arrival after death. Even the headstones remained in their places and—

Sibyll paused mid-thought and glances over at the slabs of stone standing tall in their places yet… considerably different. He stood up, mindful of the Messenger in his care, and made his way to the first Headstone of Awakening designated for Yharnam. Well, it was _supposed_ to as the inscription for various lantern locations appear to be wiped clean. The face of the stone remained an almost empty slate with the exception of a sigil carved into the top: twin axes crossing each other and accompanied with a wreath of wheat. Beneath it in neat lettering: Vale.

Sibyll made his way to the storage box and searched around its depths for a chalice and necessary materials. When he found the Pthumeru Chalice and preserved ritual blood, he walked over to the closest tombstone and conducted the rites: pouring the blood into the cup until it reached the brim and placed it before the stone. The Messengers appeared around the chalice but appeared to be confused, looking to the young hunter for an explanation. Sibyll rubs his chin and moves to remove the chalice. Before his hand could touch the neck of the cup, the blood curdles into an off color and sinks to the bottom. The hunter furrows his brows and, taking the cup into his hands, finds the blood reduced to an ashen substance. He tips the cup over and watches as the ashes spill out and disappear into nothing.

"Is that so…" Sibyll mumbles to himself. The headstones have, for lack of a better phrase, been reformed to fit the new world. All previous locations and ties to Yharnam have been cut and it would be up to Sibyll himself to establish the new lanterns.

"From what Ruby has told me, Remnant is home to four kingdoms. And if one headstone is assigned to Vale," Sibyll takes a look back to the Headstones of Awakening, "it could be that the rest should be tied to the remaining three."

It was a certain possibility but Sibyll was sure there was more to it than that. His visions (though obscure) were primarily set within the Vale and lacked the presence of the other three. If that was the case, then the four headstones could represent four major points of concern within the kingdom. Sibyll didn't know whether the visions were telling of a plague confined to Vale, or if it had already spread beyond its borders. The only way he could be sure was to begin his search far beneath the city, to ensure no long forgotten dungeon waits to be stumbled upon. Yet even before he could do [that], he would need to seek the chalice to gain entry.

Sibyll exhaled in frustration as the list of concerns began to grow long before he had begun. At least there was a comfort in knowing how the Dream functioned albeit slightly. He turned his attention to the missing building.

 _"Now, why is it the **building** in particular that is the next to change?"_

He searched the recesses of his memory, trying to remember anything of note. What else could have tied the Workshop to Yharnam aside from the namesake and function? What was the base which tied the building…to the… waking world? Sibyll searches his pocket and holds the tear stone before him.

"Of course," Sibyll says himself. How could he be so foolish to forget? He had already _been_ there himself and happened upon it by chance.

Sibyll hurried back to the storage box and, after tossing the useless chalice in, began to rummage once more in search for his notes. His hasty search had jostled the sleeping Messenger and it had phased from his body to join the on-looking three. Sibyll felt a familiarly worn and leathery object and pulled out the journal of his compiled notes. He began to flip through pages, stopping at a particular entry:

 _"I had the misfortune of a terrible fall when searching through the old Church Workshop's tower. The inhabitants continue to be as persistent as the rest, but that is beside the point. I found myself injured and compromised, but safely tucked away from the pursuers. 'Safe' being that they are too high up and yet the bottom of the pit is far too much for me to handle. The doors I have found though were isolated in the old structure and it had taken some time to force open. Upon entry, I am treated with a familiar scene._

 _A dirt path takes me to a place tucked away from the city's nightmare, eerily reminiscent of a time long gone. There stands the Abandoned Workshop in all its former glory, an empty shell housing forgotten memories and dust. The flowers here are strangely thriving though. And I find myself… breathing easier. Mist covers the grounds and despite the discarded nature of the place, there were various items of note:_

 _An old bone which fills my body with an ethereal shroud. I feel as if I could disappear, and yet remain? Further study is required._

 _A set of clothes similar to the Doll's. It is strange. How are there such garments here? And why does it feel warm as if previously worn?_

 _The Doll is here, yet she is not. The one before me is forgotten and yet queerly preserved. She appears asleep. Is she dreaming? Or is this merely an empty shell?_

 _A silver comb. Hmm… Finely crafted but bearing no name of the maker. Home made? Such intricate designs tell of intimate consideration._

 _A lantern to take me back. The little ones are glad to see I am well. Especially the one with the red bow… I must take my leave, inform Gehrman of my findings._

 _Gehrman seemed heavyhearted when I spoke with him. When I had asked what it meant, he was reluctant to explain. He only stated that all dreams originate from something. If that is so, then does that make him the dreamer? I will find out another time. Gehrman wishes to be alone and I still have much work to do."_

Sibyll tucks the note and journal away, looking over to the empty space the Workshop once resided.

"It is necessary to create my own workshop, huh?" The young hunter couldn't help but smile to himself as his mentor came to mind.

"If the situation were not as dire as it is, I would be humbled by such an honor. Gehrman would think me ready."

Sibyll returns to the storage, disrobing and storing his attire and pulling another set of clothes out to change into. He considered himself lucky in finding another set of the Hunter's clothing, a duplicate to the one he wore in Forever Fall Forest. The only exception would be that this set had a small leather cape to keep him dry from rain and blood, yet lacked his preferred hat and face wrap. Sibyll donned the attire and looked himself over, having a feel for its snug fit.

"I only hope to prove him right."

Sibyll began to prepare for his return trip, taking with him the necessary items for any sort of encounter he may have: be they beasts… or men. The young hunter began to pack way the medicinal aid first: stowing away as many blood vials, elixirs, antidotes, and sedatives (to avoid another spell of madness) he could. He didn't know when he would return to the Dream, and believed it best to be as organized as possible.

He also took notices of his supply of pungent blood cocktails and frowned. Lifting one bottle to inspect its contents, Sibyll felt uneasy with the idea of bringing them along. Such things have served him well before but there was a temptation in the swirling, maroon liquid. The young hunter had never been one to hunt while intoxicated, but the risks remained. The same could be said for his small stash of blood pellets he had found: a rather nasty supplement which would improve his… tenacity had he decide to ingest them, but at the cost of recklessness. And the worst parts of such assets were their contributions to over dependency and susceptibility to madness. The young hunter couldn't risk it, even with sedatives on hand. It would make his job considerably much harder if others were to see what Ruby had seen of him.

"And yet I have the morbid feeling of needing their assistance," the young hunter spoke as he took one of each and hid them away safely. Some of the other hunters would call it intuition, but Sibyll preferred ominous pessimism.

 **"Prepare yourself for the worst."**

Warnings from a wise Crow.

Sibyll turned his attention to the collection of throwing knives (half laced with poison) and added some of them to his travelling pack. The same is done for unlit Molotovs, quicksilver bullets, oil urns, and finally the precarious papers of fire and bolt respectively. He secured his bag, the only possession from a life he still couldn't remember, and began the menial task of—

"Which one of you am I going to take?" he hummed to himself, sifting through his acquired armaments.

Each had their own purposes and specialty, but Sibyll missed the feeling of wielding that sleek blade. The Chikage had been his only incentive to studying Bloodtinge and it subsequently improved his skill in crafting quicksilver bullets. There was something alluring to its simplicity and to couple it alongside his grey overcoat… It was admittedly **roguish**. When he had finally learned enough to use it without the drawbacks (dying within a dream had been unnerving), Sibyll attempted to flourish the weapon with finesse. He hadn't been aware the Doll was watching and when Sibyll had finished his compromising display, he heard a small applaud from behind. The Doll had been polite but Sibyll's mentor was unabashedly smug, catching his student red handed in trying to appear dashing.

"Where could it have disappeared off to?"

He remembered having it when the Doll helped him escape, but it was nowhere to be seen after he awakened. Sibyll turned to his Messengers and asked if they knew anything about it. The creatures looked at one another before disappearing beneath the floor. It wasn't long until their return and with them his missing blade and pistol.

Evelyn and Chikage.

Sibyll took up his weapons and fastened them to his body: pistol tucked away within his coat and sword idly by his side. It was a much needed reunion in spite of everything the young hunter had faced.

"Until everything is sorted, this will have to suffice."

Sibyll's Messengers have climbed their way up to rest at his shoulders, poking away at him for recognition. He complied, giving each a fair pat before realizing he hadn't awarded them for their assistance.

Sibyll dug around one final time into the storage, setting aside his Threaded Cane, Blunderbuss and Torch, procured small trinkets he had come across.

"As a token of my gratitude," he said as he held the items out to them. One showed an enthusiasm in wearing the unusually small top hat, the other two choosing an urn and bandages respectively. They put on their accessories and nuzzle lovingly into their master. The young hunter hefts his bag over his back and shoulders the blunderbuss. Torch in one hand and the cane in the other, Sibyll walks over the side of the Dream, staring down at the cloudscape once more.

"Stay close," the young hunter says to his faithful companions as he steps over the fence and plummets once more.

* * *

Ruby was struggling in her sleep, fighting some unknown entity in her dreams as her body began to squirm under the blankets. The young girl's legs would make slight motions of wanting to run and her arms reached out to grab hold of anything, to reassure her of her safety or escape. Her face scrunched up, troubled, as incoherent words were mumbled in her private nightmare. The young girl turned over and over, her whimpers telling signs of a worsening nightmare and before the phantom could take hold of her, Ruby fell out of her bed.

She yelped out in surprise as her body met with the floor of her room. Once she realized where she was and confirmed that she was safe, she began to untangle herself from her blankets and let out a slow sigh.

It had been a week since the _incident_ and both the academy and headmaster thought it best she return home to recuperate. While she didn't want to leave her friends behind, Ruby herself agreed that it was necessary: it had affected her more than she realized and began to affect her schoolwork and training. It was generous of them to excuse her absence, providing her opportunities of make up work and extra credit. Yet Ruby couldn't help but feel bad in the face of such consideration. Somewhere along the way, she had _lost_ a part of herself and having to return home was like going back in defeat. It had helped that her sister Yang had come with her if for emotional support, but even then the young girl felt ashamed. She regretted what she had done.

But Ruby had time now to recover and the day was still young. She could smell the faint hint of breakfast, her father's handiwork, and (after diligently making her bed) made her way downstairs towards the kitchen. She passes Yang's room, audible snores coming from the other side, and decides it's best to leave her be. With each step, the smell from the kitchen grows more prominent: the sound of sizzling bacon and eggs, a slight hint pancakes, and… baking goods?

As she reached the ground floor landing, Ruby hurries to the kitchen and finds her father at work: his tall and broad back facing her, hands moving with practiced precision, and clad in his usual sleepwear. She can hear him humming tunelessly to himself as he plates the last of the cooked meals and turns to find her standing there. Short messy blond hair atop a square face, stubble setting in, and deep set of lilac eyes looks her over. Taiyang Xiao Long: teacher, Huntsman, and all around "best dad."

 _This was the man who single handedly cleaned up Vale from its motorcycle gang problem in his youth and ironically became the head of the Furious Dragons Association: a now respected neighborhood watch organization patrolling the poorer parts of the city._

 _This was also the man whose team was famously (or infamously) responsible for an event simply referred to as the "Wildfire Incident" which vaguely involved him, a Goliath herd, and excessive amounts of ice dust (which continues to remain a mystery)._

 _He once settled any (all) disputes through fistfights which have left men eternally broken and his short temperament could just as easily set a room ablaze with half the time her older sister could with her own fury._

 _Rumors had it that he could kill a person by simply glaring at them long enough for them to do it themselves. People weren't sure whether his victims deserved it or not, but never dared to confirm it._

 _His students (both current and former) would know him as scandalously vengeful should they feel brave enough to successfully prank him. Some still have the tattoos of googly-eyed dragons to prove it though they don't remember ever getting them._

 _Ruby and Yang's father was a force to be respected and reckoned with. He had gained a modest reputation of being fair and firm, but an even larger standing for his intimidation and skill as a hand-to-hand fighter. But to the girls, he was just doting, worrywart of a father who would read books to them before bed. He had slipped them coins for their baby teeth, brushed and braided their hair, and comforted them whenever they needed it. He's as gentle as a spring breeze and **their** father._

"Mornin' hun. Sleep well?" Ruby's father asks. She shakes her head and he motions his head over to the kitchen table. As she settles into her spot, Taiyang places breakfast on the table and pours Ruby a glass of milk. She downs the whole glass and he readily refills it on cue.

"Everything alright?" he asks, worry already creasing his brow.

"It was just a nightmare," Ruby answers. She couldn't remember what it consisted of the dream, but she knew it had involved running away from something. Even as a Huntress-in-training, Ruby felt afraid. Whatever was coming after her had drained the young girl of all her bravery. It carried a strange chill robbing her breath as she ran through shadowy forest in her mind. No matter how hard she tried, Ruby felt escape to be inevitable and could feel a hand reach out and almost touch the ends of her hood.

"We can talk about it if you feel up to it," Taiyang suggests.

"I'll be alright dad." Ruby gave him a reassuring smile and he decided to let it go. He knows Ruby will open up whenever she would be ready and instead began to load her plate up with a generous helping of pancakes and bacon.

"Well, let's just hope your old man's specialty cheers you right up," he adds as he begins to fill his own plate. Ruby began to line her bacon up in the middle of the top layer pancake, drizzle a hearty helping of syrup, and proceed to roll it up as neatly as she could. She cut a piece of her pancake roll and took her first bite: a perfect blend of fluffy, crunchy, syrupy, salty and sweet. Ruby felt the warmth travel down and swell in her chest as she let loose her satisfaction in a content sigh. Her truly was the best when it came to breakfast.

"It always does," she replies happily and continues to dig into her breakfast. Taiyang chuckles and takes a drink of his coffee as the two heard another pair of footsteps make its way down and into the kitchen.

Yang rounded the corner still wearing a sleepy expression and her long hair at its maximum potential of being unruly. Her sleeping shorts were a bit **too** short and her sleeping shirt just a tad too _high_ as it bared her midriff, much to her father's chagrin. It also didn't help that shirt read "Hot Stuff" in flame print, the irony of it having already run its course.

"Yang…" their father said sternly.

"Mmmm…" she responded sleepily. For Taiyang, it was troublesome enough to have an older daughter who was just as audacious as he was at her age. It was even more so when she picked the fights than avoided them. Her stylistic choices could very well be the tipping point of a much needed lecture, but he relented because Yang was _his_ daughter. Having all her mother's looks and his unrelenting tenacity, Taiyang was sure his own fashion was just as bold, always opting to wear open shirts to show off his toned body. So he settled with sighing to himself.

"Coffee, juice, or milk?" he simply asked.

"Hmm… coffee… please…" Yang struggled to say as she yawned and helped herself to some bacon and eggs. Her father obliges and the three of them eat breakfast in a comfortable silence, and left to their own thoughts.

Ruby missed mornings like these. A breakfast with everyone there and even when words weren't exchanged, she felt cozy knowing everyone was with her. Well… mostly everyone… Ruby took a quick glance at the empty seat at the table, knowing whose spot it belonged to. Her father made it a point to put out plates for **everyone** , even if _she_ wasn't there to share the meal with them. Ruby tried to return to her breakfast with the same enthusiasm as her older sister (who at this point had fully awakened by the third bite) but felt sad at her mother's missing presence. Taiyang noticed but decided to redirect her focus to something else.

"Sooo… do you want to talk about what happened?" he urged, hoping to address the incident at their school. He had taken a leave of absence to attend a Hunter's conference off the island at Qrow's request and on his return hadn't been fully informed. All he knew was that the situation Ruby had been involved with was a serious matter if it greatly affected her to such worrying degrees. His work had given him time off to look after his children and while he wished to get to the core of the problem, his daughter's well being came first. So he waited and gave the young girl space to talk to him about it. He knew of the nightmares and whenever he checked in on her, comforted her in her sleep. But this was something they couldn't avoid for long.

"Aw dad, not now… Breakfast was just getting good!" Yang protested, hoping to avoid this conversation for the sake of her sister.

"Well it's just… we haven't talked about it. And I'm concerned." Taiyang looked over at Ruby and saw her hung down.

"And this couldn't wait until **after** breakfast?" Yang challenged but was immediately shot down with her father's stern glare.

"There's no need to take that tone," he said before turning to Ruby. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you sweetie. But I'm here now and I want to know what happened from you. I want to hear your side and before the academy's version."

Ruby fidgeted in her seat, hands trying to comfort each other from underneath the table. She couldn't look her father in the eye because she knew what she had done was wrong. Even if she felt it was right, even if it was to protect them, Ruby felt her actions were not justified. It still could have gone any other way

"You're going to be angry with me…" she mumbled but still heard.

"Ruby, I can't be mad with you if I don't know what happened. And whatever had happened, I know I raised you girls right to not be the cause of such trouble." His last words left a sting in the young girl's heart, shame growing even more. Ruby wanted to tell her father… But—

All three of them turned as they heard someone descend the stairs slowly, each step slow and deliberate, as if they were taking their time. They waited as the steps finally reached the landing and Ruby's eyes lit up when a familiar face greeted them.

She was shorter than their father, but tall enough to stand over both her and Yang. Her skin was just as pale as hers and had a similar round face framed by shoulder length, red tinged hair. Her once pristine, white pajamas were now rumpled and creased, telling of plentiful sleep. And she had pair of silver eyes just like hers, albeit a bit drowsier in the morning. Ruby _does_ take the likeness after her mother. "Morning…" Summer Rose yawns as she looks at her family.

"Mom!" Both Ruby and Yang left their spots from the table to tackle hug their mother. And despite how sleepy the young woman had been, she had already been prepared to be greeted excitedly by her daughters and braced herself for their oncoming affections.

"Weren't you supposed to be away for like, weeks?" Yang asked as she and Ruby did their best to hug their mother tightly.

Summer ruffled their unruly hair and gave them a shrug. "I finished early. Dealing with a herd of wild Ferdinands turned out to be a piece of cake. I mean, if you don't piss 'em off first."

"Language," Ruby said warmly as she pressed her face into her mother's side.

"Right, right," their mother admitted. "So, breakfast?"

Both Yang and Ruby led her to her spot at the table as Taiyang placed a cup of coffee before her, and promptly kissed his love on her forehead. She gave a satisfied 'hmm' and began to fill her plate, taking a few bites and savoring the meal.

"You still look tired sweetheart," Taiyang commented as he went to pull out the finished baked cookies he had prepared before hand.

"Well _someone_ had kept me up when I came home," Summer replies with a smirk at her husband's expense. Ruby didn't understand why Yang had a knowing grin or why her father's face was suddenly flushed, almost dropping the baked goods.

"I didn't—!"

"Snore? But you totally do, my dearest beloved! I mean, it explains why Yang 'roars' in her sleep." Yang stuck her tongue out at Summer, and the mother replies in kind. Taiyang could only shake his head, knowing her skill in the art of suggestion and placed the tray of chocolate chip cookies aside to cool before returning to the table.

"But before I regale my harrowing adventures to you girls," Summer began as she savored the last bite of her bacon, "you want to tell us what happened Ruby?" And just like that, the situation returned to its stifled atmosphere. Ruby felt her mother's eyes on her, watching her closely.

While both girls knew of their father's reputation in the kingdom, they both were more afraid of the title people have given their mother: "Summer's Harvest." It sounded one part cool, and all parts ominous considering the nature of her work and preferred weapon.

"I…" Ruby began as she did her best to look her mother straight one. "I got into some trouble at school…"

"What kind of trouble?" It was a simply question Summer had asked but Ruby felt the essence of authority laced in those words (intentional or not).

"The… fight-y kind?" Ruby answered, hoping to test out the mood her mother may have.

"Hmm… And what started this fight?"

"Ruby, you don't have—" Yang tried in support for her sister.

"She does." Summer had stated resolutely. "Your father and I need to know what happened in order to help and resolve the issue. And we can't do that if we don't know."

She turns back to face Ruby, her face a bit gentler this time.

"You don't have to be afraid of us Ruby. And you don't need to feel ashamed or that you have to bottle it up. We are your parents: our job is to look out for you and ease your burdens whenever possible. Whatever it is, we promise to not be as understanding as possible. Right, dear?"

"Of course," Taiyang adds as he rests his hand over Summer's. They both watch as Ruby fidgets some more before she decides to finally open up.

"I… was walking to class when I overheard some of the older kids talking. They were talking about Yang… and me…" Ruby looks down at her hand but feels her mother's comforting hand rest on her shoulder.

"Go on sweetie, we're listening."

"They thought it was weird we use different last names… I didn't understand much of what they were saying, but I felt that they were making fun of Yang. They were laughing when talking about her, in a mean way. So I tried to get them to stop."

Ruby looked down at her hands again before continuing.

"I asked them to stop saying mean things about Yang. But it didn't work and they started pushing me. A bigger boy teased me for being so small and… shi…shiver…'shiverous'? And then they were saying things about… you two…"

Both Summer and Taiyang tensed up, beginning to understand where this was headed.

"He said our family wasn't 'normal'… because his parents told him you two weren't married. Married like 'real parents' and then said mean things about you two… And then he… he…!"

Ruby's face begins to heat up with a foreign sense of embarrassment she couldn't articulate. Her eyes brim with tears and she knows Yang is just as bothered by what had happened. Even if Ruby didn't understand what the words meant, she could feel the malice behind them. Her family was like everyone else, even if her parents didn't have their rings. Right? Even if Yang and her had different last names, their parents, their **family,** was still normal. _Right?_ So why did hit hurt so much when he…

"He called me… a bastard kid…"

The kitchen grew quiet as Ruby let her tears fall, shoulders shaking as she tried to hold it in and be strong, like her mom and dad. Yang couldn't look up knowing that even after she had beaten the rest of the other kids they had won in **making fun of Ruby**. They had won in **making fun of her family**. They heard the kitchen table groan under the surmounting pressure of their father's grip, struggling to maintain his fury and keep hold over his semblance. Summer leaned back in her chair, unsurprised by the rumors and gossip of other parents, and instead thought over the incident.

"And what did you do when he called you that?" she inquired simply.

Between chocked sobs and tears, Ruby replies, "I… *hic*… kicked him really hard… between the legs… like dad showed me and Yang in case *hic* weird people talk to us…"

It was then that Summer couldn't contain herself any longer. She had let loose hearty laughter which filled the kitchen to everyone's surprise. Summer's eyes began to tear up over the image of her little girl using such a dirty tactic (like a certain dragon she knows) to down someone bigger than her.

Granted, she was down right furious the other kids had the gall to call her children such names and even more wrathful for their parents who never understood their situation. It was true that Yang and Ruby are half sisters and Summer had unofficially gotten together with Taiyang after his wife disappeared those many years ago. She had filled in for the role of a mother when she couldn't stand to see her partner so heartbroken and miserable. And to fail at even the most basic care for his first daughter was the last straw, so she stepped up. They both cared and raised for Yang and in those two years of doing so, Ruby became the proof of their new found affections for one another. Summer had never married her partner simply because she hated titles of such trite things: she was already regarded as one of the bloodiest Huntress in her time and a majority of those stories were accidents or coincidental. They were husband and wife in name only but Summer had loved both Yang and Ruby **equally** and **fiercely** , ensuring her children were never in want of anything.

So Summer laughed openly over her daughter's first in-school fight, truly like her older sister and father.

"Summer, this is serious!" Taiyang pleaded but was waved off as Summer continued to laugh.

"I know but… picture it! A small girl going right for the 'nads? Priceless!" she said between breaths. Taiyang ran his hand over his face, hoping to wipe away the residual anger still inside. He and Summer would call the headmaster of Stonewell Academy for Gifted Children and set a meeting with the other parents over the situation, but somewhere far from the house so the Huntsman could vent out every expletive he could think off.

Summer wiped away her hearty tears and moved to kneel between her girls, taking their hands into her own.

"Ruby, you know you shouldn't start a fight with the other kids. Even if they say mean and hurtful things about us, you should always try and be the better person."

Ruby let her head fall but was lifted back up to meet with her mother's eyes.

"I know it's hard to understand why, but trust me when I say it isn't worth it. I meet a lot of those types in my work: faunus who distrust me being human, outside villagers who think I do more harm than good, and other who say mean things for the sake of being mean. And you know what?"

Ruby shook her head.

"It all doesn't mean anything because at the end of the day, your father and I get the job done. Let them say what they will but when they go home safe and sound, they know it was **us** who made sure it stayed that way. We silence them with the right actions, okay?" Summer ruffled Ruby's hair lovingly.

" _But~_! I'm proud you stood up for your sister, and for us. Even if the other kid was bigger than you, you protected what was most important."

"And you, Yang," Summer turned to the other girl, "thank you for looking out for your sister when we're not around. Even if it can be a little excessive, it makes us happy to know you'll always protect her in our stead."

Summer pulled both girls into her arms and held them as close as she could.

"You two are the most precious things your father and I could ask for. And no matter what other people may say, always remember that **we** love you and that you two love each other. Alright?"

"But why do Yang and I use different last names?" Ruby asks, pulling away slightly to look at her mother.

"Do you really want to know the truth?"

Both girls nodded and Summer let out a long sigh. Ruby and Yang prepared themselves for world shattering truth, something about their family that would make sense of their situation. Something both Summer and Taiyang agreed to never tell them until they were old enough to understand. Yet their mother gave him a knowing look, for the other reason they named them as such.

"It's because I think the names you two have are cute the way they are," Summer confessed simply.

And it was the truth. Even though she had fallen for the "supreme dragon," Summer never planned to take Taiyang's name. She wanted Yang to take after her father's simply because he had always wanted a little dragon to take after himself. And she wanted Ruby to take _her_ name because she felt it was the cutest out of the numerous name combinations they could come up with before she was born.

When she saw that her daughters still were let down (or didn't quite understand) she decided to put it another way.

"Think about it like this," she began. "You two are _the_ 'Little Dragon and Darling Rose.' That way, people will remember whose children they're messing with. Sound cool?" Summer decided to add a wink for roguish emphasis, a trick she picked up from Taiyang himself, and successfully won her daughters over. She gave them an extra squeeze before helping them back into their seats.

"There we go, much better. Now we can finally have breakfast and you," she pointed at her husband, "have to get your buns in gear to cook more bacon. Yang ate the rest and I am in dire need for a pancake burrito." Yang couldn't contain her grin and Summer gave him a friendly pat on the behind as he passed, earning a small laugh from the pair of girls. He began the cooking process again before the front door sounded with a bell.

"Ah damn... Who could it be this early?" Summer muttered to herself, hoping it wasn't another representative from the Hunting Association.

"Language," said her husband and daughters in unison.

"Got it, got it," Summer relented as she went to answer the door. Ruby felt better having talked to her parents over what happened. She felt safe knowing that her family was just that: a family, unburdened by the outside onlookers. And Ruby felt a bit proud her over how her parents named her and her sister. She had to admit, it was pretty cool to have a title at such a young age. She made to take another bite when she heard a familiar voice come from the front of a house. She couldn't remember where or how, but she knew whoever was visiting. Ruby excused herself to the bathroom and slipped away when she could, tiptoeing over to where mother had disappeared.

She couldn't help but feel wary of who was at the door. When she peeked around the corner, she saw her mother talking with a man wearing a long grey coat. He dressed oddly, like the people in those old books in her parent's study. And he spoke weird too, though his words were muddled. Ruby didn't understand why but she felt she couldn't trust him. His eyes met her hers, orange upon silver… and he smiled.

"Hello young miss."

Ruby's body shook with fear as the young hunter turned back to Summer.

"It's time." Ruby watched as her mother simply nodded and followed the man as she was. Ruby tried to call out for her sister and father, but no voice came from her throat. She couldn't allow her mother to leave with him. If she did, she wouldn't come back. Ruby would lose what she had this morning and she couldn't bear the loss of her mother again… Again? Her head ached at the thought but pushed it back as she tried to pull her mother's hand. As she reached for it, her fingers slipped through as if she were transparent. Both her mother and the man were now outside, about leave the fenced off yard and Ruby felt they would disappear into the darkness beyond for good if she didn't do anything to stop them, anything to protect her mother from this man.

She felt her small hands wrap around a familiar handle and before the young man could reach for the gate, Ruby aimed Crescent Rose and fired at his back. The round pierced his back and he stumble forward slightly, turning slowly to face her and surprised she would even think to shoot him.

"Young… miss?" he had asked with struggled breath and Ruby fired again and again and again and again. His body shook violently and she watched as prominent holes form in his chest with each fired shot, oozing blood which poured down his body. But his eyes never left hers, confused and… betrayed. Ruby placed the last shot to his heart and its path a gaping hole larger than the rest: big enough for her to see right through him.

"I thought… we were… friends…" The young man falls to his knees, reaching out to her before his body collapsed on the floor. Blood began to pool around his body, so vibrant and crimson in color. The brightest shade ever produced from someone who threatened her family. Ruby drops the manifested weapon and slowly approaches the slain body.

It was… Sibyll. He was her friend. He was her friend and she had killed him again! Just like the first time.

 _"No…. No no no no no!"_ Ruby tried to scream. It wasn't supposed to be this way! She was still just a little girl! Both her and her sister were still attending primary academy before Signal, before Beacon. It was never supposed to turn out this way because she was **supposed** to save him!

Maybe she could still save him… Stop the bleeding enough to get help. Ruby dropped to her knees and began to apply pressure of the largest of the wounds, contributing nothing to his resuscitation. His was already too far gone but… if she tried _hard_ enough she could stop him from dying. Even as her hands began to be dirtied with the crimson color, she continued to apply pressure.

"Please Sibyll! Wake up! I can still save you! **I CAN STILL SAVE YOU!** " She shook his body, trying to gain a response but when she received any, began to hit his body over and over. Maybe he'll wake up if she just hits him hard enough. Just like when she wakes Yang in the morning, Ruby simply has to shake him hard enough for him to get up right? She's not a killer! No, she's a hero like her mom and dad and uncle Qrow and Ozpin and Goodwitch and Port and Oobleck and the heroes of old.

"Sibyll! You have to wake up! PLEASE!" Ruby cried but he did not stir.

"Ruby… What have you done!?" her mother calls out. Ruby turns to find her mother terrified, her expression filled with such shock and horror. Ruby tried to reach out to her, but Summer had flinched and pulled away.

"How could you… We raised you to protect people, Ruby!" Ruby watched as Summer stepped away from her. "You've killed him…" Summer's eyes began to fill with tears, holding herself as if she was in great pain.

"You've killed him Ruby… Just like you killed **me**."

Ruby watched as her mother disappeared into the rushing wind, a figure blown away into fluttering, white rose petals. She tried to run after them, hoping to collect the pieces and put her mother back together, back to the way she was supposed to be. But a hand took hold of her ankle. She looked down to see Sibyll's hand tightly holding on, watching her from the corner of his eye. She didn't know when the pool around his body had grown so large, but Ruby saw his body begin to sink and disappear into the violent color.

She struggled to break free as she felt cold sensation begin to rise up her legs. The blood felt congealed, thick like mud, and with Sibyll's body already submerged, it would only be a matter of time before she followed after. She cried out voicelessly as the puddle reached her waist. Ruby tried to reach for the anything to keep her from sinking, but upon making contact with the substance, found her arms trapped. She looked around frantically, hoping that someone would come to help. And she found them on the outer rims of the viscous blood.

All of them spread about the floor, resting in their pools of blood.

 _Her older sister's body seemed to crumple in on itself, forced into an unnatural position. Limbs and back bent awkwardly, clearly broken, and her face was hidden beneath the bangs of her bloodied blonde hair._

 _Blake had been violently pinned to the floor, so many silvery knives holding her in place. It had been a slow and painful process, bleeding out and unable to do anything._

 _Weiss… Ruby held back the bile threatening to rise as she saw her partner's charred remains lay untouched. The only sign left of her identity was the charred crown she would often tie her hair up with._

 _Jaune and Pyrrha shared their deaths together as both Crocea Mors and Miló pierced them together through the center of their chests. He must have tried to protect her, using his body as a shield in the absence of his shealth._

 _Ren lay on his stomach, trying to reach out for his childhood friend but Ruby saw the cruel manner of which his arms were severed from their body. And Nora hadn't faired any better, with her chest having a gaping hole. Magnhild lay in pieces beside her, unused dust grenades spilled on the abysmal floor._

 _Her uncle's body was without its head and Scavenging Beak rested itself in his chest._

 _Her father…_

 _All of them were dead. But how? Who could have hurt them?_

"You couldn't protect them."

Ruby heard footsteps approach her, slowly stepping around the bodies of her family and friends. They were heavy, leather boots stopping just before her and Ruby looked up to find the young hunter once more. He regarded the young girl with a threatening smile, filled with a thirst she couldn't name. Or could she? Ruby looked back to her friends and back to Sibyll, making the connections and gasped in terror.

Sibyll smirked at her plight. "You couldn't protect everyone you love because you couldn't kill **me.** " He gestured to the bodies of her friends and family before turning back to her.

"Well, you _did_ but was it enough to put me down **permanently**? How do you know I won't come back for the rest?" He crossed her arms and continued to watch her sink into the blood, Ruby holding her breath before hearing the last of his words.

"I mean, that's what friends do. Right?"

Red overwhelmed her sight and she struggled to breath. She was suffocating in the crimson color and as much as she kicked and flailed, Ruby couldn't escape. Her eyes and mind was filled with the invasive color. She needed to escape, need to scream. Voices screamed out in her mind alongside her, disembodied in all the red.

"Weiss, call my uncle here over NOW!"

Ruby felt a pair of arms wrap around her, and she tried to break away.

"Blake, get Ren. I'll need his help until Qrow gets here. Make sure Jaune and the rest keep the others away from the room."

Ruby heard someone leave and the arms that held her, pulled tightly. Someone was murmuring for her to wake up, over and over. But how could she? All Ruby could see was the blood red lives of her loved ones drown her for her inability to save them. This was retribution. This was her punishment for failing as a huntress in training.

Ruby felt a pair of warm hands touch her face, feeding her energy to quell her thrashing. It was trying to lull her to complacency, to get her guard down so it can finish her off when she wasn't looking. She tried moving her arms to push it away but was held back. She began to kick and even in the sluggish space, Ruby had hit something. It had groaned and the warmth disappears at it pulls away as Ruby continues to struggle.

"Please Ruby, you have to wake up!"

Ruby had asked that of Sibyll, asked many things in hopes for other things.

"Ruby… Look at me," a familiar voice spoke out and the warmth of aura returned to her head. All the red she was seeing faded into black and then light. Her eyes made out the face of her uncle, his hands glowing black with his aura. She looked around to find Weiss and Blake watching her worriedly, Nora consoling Ren whose hands were at his abdomen and Yang just above her. She could hear Jaune and Pyrrha dealing with the complaints of the other students on their floor. Yang loosens her hold on Ruby and she realized it had happened.

Again.

It had been a **month** since Ruby had killed Sibyll and both her and her uncle watched as his body disappeared. The incident had left Qrow and Ozpin incapacitated for a time, but it was enough for Ironwood to convince the council to delay the tournament. It wasn't unusual for the tournaments to be pushed back, but it caused unnecessary speculation and unrest within the citizens both native and visiting.

Both men had healed without further incident but the stranger had certainly left his mark. During that time Ruby continued to struggle once again with sleeping, her teammates doing their best to deal with the return of her restless symptoms. But it had escalated into full blown night terrors, screaming and thrashing already forcing them to bring her bed down to the solid ground. She was already seeking help from counselors and when that wasn't enough, from Qrow himself. He had opened up to her about the nature of his work and how he had dealt with the first life he had taken. He imparted some of his wisdom to the young girl, and stayed on campus for her sake. Just in case the episodes grew worse.

And they did.

Ruby looked about the room once again and did her best to give them a sheepish smile. She saw how tired her teammates were and tried to convince them of changing her sleeping arrangements some time ago when the first night terror occurred. She would bunk up with her uncle until they went away, as to not disturb them. But they were adamant in keeping her with them: they worked and lived as a team, and they were going to get through this as one too. Even if the girls had nights of terrible half-sleep, even if they were (unintentionally) irritable with other students, they understood.

None of them had ever killed another person. And they didn't expect the youngest of them to have her hands dirtied first.

"I'm sorry," Ruby spoke finally, her voice hoarse with her screaming. She covered her eyes with both hands and curled up against her sister, feeling gentle hands run through her hair.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'm sorry," she spoke over and over again.

* * *

 **{Headmaster's Tower, Same Time}**

Ozpin watched the video recording once more, trying to figure out the young hunter's disappearance. He had left his duties to Goodwitch in hopes of searching for an answer in isolation, but frustration had peaked in finding nothing. The headmaster had done a criminal record search on the name "Alfred," trying to connecting any results to former or current organizations of doubtful reputation. A few matches had correlated but even then Ozpin was doubtful. Sibyll had spoken vaguely of the man and the information Ruby had given the headmaster and general portrayed the young hunter as a complete outsider. It was unlikely for someone far beyond the kingdom's borders and be so uninformed.

Then there was his concern over how Sibyll recovered from his injuries or even his knowledge of their past. The incident over the Sagewood Settlement was kept under wraps and out of the public eye as a means to maintain public morale. While bureaucracy had absolved them for their mistakes, information of the even shouldn't have been easily accessible. So how did Sibyll know?

Ozpin rewinds the video once more, observing for any irregularities, and pausing a moment which left him wit more questions.

 _"No matter… Your blood has spoken for all of you…Allow me to absolve you of your grief!"_

His thoughts mulled over the young man's words, pausing the video with the hunter mid-lunge.

"My blood?" Ozpin murmurs as a hand drifts over his chest. The wound had healed well enough but a lingering pain remains as a reminder of his oversight. He watches the recording once more when he hears the elevator open. Footsteps approach him but the headmaster knows well enough that Goodwitch's arrival is nothing short of fussing over him. Eyes never leaving the video, he addresses his partner with tired resignation.

"I thought I made it clear in needing privacy Glynda," he spoke. The video finished its run and he began to watch it from the beginning once more.

"No, you made it clear you needed time off to recuperate. Had I known you've thrown all your responsibilities on me for this," she gestured to the holo-projections, "I would have confined you to your room myself."

Ozpin scoffs fondly over her care. Goodwitch stands by his side, eyes focused on finalizing his duties on her scroll, briefly looking at the recording before returning to her work.

"Were you at least able to discover something while avoiding your work?" she asks.

"Very little. As of now, we know that he can mend his wounds and escapes battles in an odd fashion."

Goodwitch paused to look at the headmaster, verdant meeting hazel.

"You don't believe he's dead?"

"With the accounts given by Miss Rose and Qrow, I'm certain the bodies of the fallen don't simply disappear. And on another note, the light that masks his escape also occurs…here." Ozpin rewinds the footage to where he stood over Sibyll in his brief victory. The headmaster zooms in and enhances the image to focus on the young hunter's enshrouded right hand.

"It's subtle," he began, "but this explains how he was readily armed and how he was able to leave."

Goodwitch studies the comparison of the two moments and finds that both are one in the same. Even with the enhanced image, she could see the blurred handle of Sibyll's weapon forming into his grip.

"And his wounds?"

The headmaster rewound the video the moment he and Sibyll traded blows. They both watched as Sibyll was thrown back, pulling out Ozpin's weapon, and glowing a subdued orange light as the headmaster's blood mended the young hunter's wounds.

"He's using your injuries to heal his own," Goodwitch remarked.

"And **that** is how he knows of our past."

Ozpin turns to take her hand into his, an out of place gesture for the often enigmatic man. Were it any other occasion, Goodwitch would have been taken aback by the gesture of rare intimacy. But her partner was seeking comfort, consolation over their dark past which none wished to share. And she would stand by him as she always had.

"It's only a hypothesis but I believe the moment he used my blood to restore his health, he saw our past and grew stronger by it."

Ozpin lets go and turns back to his desk, bringing up more screens with information from outside settlements. Goodwitch saw how they synonymously spoke of a passing character, travelling from town to town in a vague search for something. Some of the reports are expressing concerns over the shady character passing through, dressed and armed in an odd fashion. He caused no public disturbance but outlying citizens are nervous by his drifting presence.

And yet other settlements are praising him, inquiring for his identity to better thank him for his efforts. Accounts read how, though they were unable to assist in what he is looking for, the stranger had made an effort to exterminate their Grimm problems. The stranger had done so out of his own decision, and extended a hand in some of the settlements more minor problems. Some of these villages and towns were marked for Beacon's mission priorities to provide the students experience for themselves. To read how these towns are already retracting their contracts had put Ozpin and Goodwitch in unease.

The last screen was a map tracking the stranger's movement, moving further away from the city towards the northeast.

"I've already sent Team CFVY ahead to a settlement he may pass through with additional orders to keep an eye out for him. Strictly observation before he disappears off the grid, and should he begin to turn hostile…"

"They are to address the situation with extreme prejudice," Goodwitch finished. Ozpin nods but he could still feel the unease in her stance.

"Can we send no other Hunter in their stead?" She didn't agree with the idea of sending their students to handle the situation, especially when the young hunter had proven to be dangerous.

"I would send Qrow but right now… his family needs him." Ozpin turns his chair to face the glass window overlooking his academy, eyes drifting toward the first year dorms.

"I also can't risk licensed Huntsmen to go after him, lest they fall in battle and allow him to grow stronger."

"So you chose to sacrifice your students?"

Ozpin looks at her not with contempt, but out of a surrendered shame. She was right to an extent but it was necessary. If there was any consoling thought, he knew CFVY would be able to stand their grounds and survive.

"I chose Miss Adel's team for their prowess in combat and the ability to wear down Grimm of great size. Each of them is able to work in sync in overwhelming the threat and I believe them capable of handling themselves. The third and fourth years need to maintain their presence outside the kingdom's walls, leaving the first and second years to maintain security within."

He turned back to his desk to close down the projection, standing to offer Goodwitch his arm. She let her hand slip into the comfort his gesture and the two made their way to the elevators.

"There are too many variables we are unaware of Glynda," the headmaster spoke as they both stepped into the lift.

"And I find myself growing more anxious in being left in the dark."

* * *

 **{Beacon Guest Dorms, Same Time}**

Cinder finally had the room to herself after sending Emerald and Mercury out to rendezvous with an information broker. She needed the space to herself after an unprecedented hitch stalled her plans. It was essential for the Vytal Festival to take place as it would provide the only chance to gather Remnant's most talented and skillful hopefuls into one place. Each of the young and naïve provided such a variety in semblances just begging to _picked_ in such a prime time. Those children and their collective aura would pave her way into obtaining enough power to see all four kingdoms fall. She would uproot the current and ineffectual structures: corrupted in all facets of power and order. Councilmen and citizens complacent behind their walls as settlements sacrificed themselves in their _"hopeful expansion"_. The aggrandized adoration for the Huntsmen and Huntresses who "protect" the peace against the Grimm, but have yet to make any substantial progress. Their world, **this** world demanded change and she would provide it with her flame.

She would stand over them as their cities burned away, removing those who were weak or unfit to survive. And upon its ashes, she would rebuild _her_ kingdom to stand stronger and brighter than its predecessors.

Her fire would burn eternally and all would come to respect (fear) her reign.

Robbing the youths of their power had only been one part of her plan.

The second part was dependent on the White Fang's efforts into acquiring the dormant power in the labyrinth below the city. Cinder had learned of such a thing when she began to establish power in Vacuo. A smuggler thought he could double his profits by double crossing her and was proven otherwise when Cinder had burned the use of his arms. She didn't understand why she had taken the ancient looking tome after silencing his incessant begging. Cinder believed him less when he cried out about labyrinths beneath the four kingdoms, a means to great power residing in each of them.

Cinder merely kept the book as a token reminder of inevitable betrayal. It was only when she started finding connections to the missing parts of Remnant's history in the book did she decide to humor the thought. Ancient maps were stolen from prominent museums to cross reference the diagrams, studying the photographed images of the sculpted walls, tomes recording the very early studies of aura and… something else. If the smuggler was telling the truth, then why tell her? Granted, she was on the verge of killing him and there was the possibility no one would have believed him anyways. So why?

But it wasn't a questions should have been able to answer. Not until the "queen" had made a name for herself to garner respect against her equals did she bother to humor the thought again. With the White Fang successfully locating one of the labyrinths, she would be closer to discovering the key to her desired future.

Her scroll buzzes in the silent room and she answers the call to find Adam on the other end.

"And to what do I owe the pleasure—"

"We have a problem," the faunus spoke, cutting off her introductions.

 _"Of course,"_ she thought. Another problem impeding her progress. "What seems to be the issue?"

"It's this damn place. We've already lost five scouting groups to make sense of the area and they never returned."

"And how is that _my_ problem?"

She could hear Adam struggle to hold in his anger.

"If we can't find the chamber **you** want us to search for, then this whole operation becomes a farce. There's no point in wasting resources and lives over something so trivial. Whatever built the labyrinth doesn't want us to find what it is hiding."

"Which is precisely _why_ I need you to find it," Cinder replied simply.

"And if we refuse?"

"Would you really defy an order from your faction's superiors?"

"I'm sure they would begin to reconsider with lack of progress made over the month."

"Even if that means turning the White Fang away from enhancing their natural abilities?"

"…"

Hearing his pause allowed Cinder the upper hand.

"Oh? You didn't know?" she smiled as she chided him over the phone. "How could I expect you to? I merely said your victory was beyond the door and tucked away within. I am well aware this is a _joint_ venture we have and it wouldn't do well to leave your people behind after such sacrifice and contribution. I mean, they're still there under your command because they believe in **you,** right?"

Adam remained silent and Cinder continued on.

"Of course they're still there. They believe in their cause and I wouldn't put it past them to throw themselves in front of gunfire if it meant future victory."

Adam's growl could be heard over the phone.

"Be patient Mr. Taurus. I'm confident your people will find what needs to be found. And who knows? Maybe you'll be the first to taste the full extent of your power and show the world just how superior the faunus are."

Cinder heard a beep, notifying her of her underlings gathered information. She took a brief pause from her call to overlook the information before returning to Adam.

"But I believe you are in need of a change in environment. Place one of your Lieutenants in charge of the expedition as I need you to travel outside the kingdom."

"For what purpose would you need me to leave?" he asked, the anger apparent in his tone.

"I need you to search for someone."

"And why would this _someone_ need my full attention?"

"He can prove useful to our cause. If he can hurt Ozpin enough to leave him out of commission for so long, it would be wise to convince him to join our side. Ah, and it seems he's taken a keen interest into travelling between the outside settlements."

"I still have yet to hear why this needs me particularly."

"Because the _last time_ he was seen, he was en route to a predominately Faunus village: self dependent, very little contact with the city, and not very **open** to new visitors. With you though, I'm sure they'll trust another of their kind. Gather information and see if we have a potential ally out there."

"And if we don't?"

Cinder begins to smile over her scroll.

"Then do what you do best: protect your people from the apparent threat in the name of your cause. Check back in with me when you arrive."

The call ends and Cinder looks over the information once more. Emerald and Mercury have pulled through in their mission to gain information on someone she should have been informed of. And as an added bonus, whoever the stranger is appears to be strong enough to stand as equals with the mysterious headmaster.

The additional information on her scroll _had_ been obtained from his personal files after all. With the "Queen's Gambit" program lurking within the data of the CCT, Cinder had access to any and all information including student profiles, faculty schedules, and even the security dossiers for the delayed tournament. All she needed now were the relics hidden away beneath the city that would allow her to ascend her future throne.

She closed her scroll and allowed herself to lounge on her bed. Cinder thought over her words of promise to Adam and the White Fang, considering the possibility of betrayal should they succeed in obtaining the mysterious item. There was a high likelihood for a double cross but it would sort itself out should they be brave enough to use it for themselves.

Cinder was honest with Adam in saying the Faunus had a chance into becoming more. The relics in questions _should_ allow those, people more in tuned with their bestial sides, to grow exponentially in physical and mental form: they would be faster, stronger, more resilient and agile than even the craftiest of Grimm. They would transcend their human counterparts and become the apex predators in the entirety of Remnant. And even with if there was a threat of a double cross, Cinder would allow it.

It would provide her the necessary sacrifices to understand both the benefits and disadvantages of obtaining such power. While the tome states that one can ascend the limits of their physical body, it is not without consequence as the unfit are essentially culled. The description had been vague but Cinder knew it meant something gruesome to the brazenly arrogant.

So she would allow the White Fang the plunder the labyrinths of its relics in her stead. She would watch from a distance the effects the power and learn from the victims left behind. All she had to do was bide her time and when the opportunity presented itself, take the power for herself and her alone.

* * *

 **{Past: Two Weeks after the Hunter's "death"}**

Sibyll traversed the crimson and emerald forest, following the directions the townsmen had given him before his departure. It had been many days since his return to the waking world, and he was thankful to avoid the nightmare within the darkness. The young hunter wandered the expanse of nature, often coming across small towns who were mixed in their reception of his appearance.

Some outright refused to allow him entry, wary of a stranger who dressed and spoke peculiarly. His attire and belongings may have marked him as a vagrant of the roads, though Sibyll it odd they would think of such things. The young hunter believed he was more of an appropriately dressed traveler but nonetheless he received no help and was turned away.

And Sibyll couldn't bring himself to blame them. They were the outside the security of the kingdom's walls, receiving the helps of Huntsmen and Huntresses whenever it could be provided. But they were more or less left to defend themselves with whatever meager means of security they had. So he simply wandered in hopes of finding answers he needed or the place he hoped needed him the most. He couldn't return to the city in fear of being found by the headmaster or general. His last of impression would most surely have him marked as a person of high risk.

His travels at least gave him insight to the dark creatures who roam the open world, and he recorded his findings whenever possible.

Sibyll learned that the crow-like creatures who claim the skies have a habit of trying dive at his exposed form, ambushing him at angles and flying off when unsuccessful. It also proved difficult to hunt them when their secondary means of attack placed them a safe distance away. So the young hunter chose to travel under safety of forest's density.

He had also happened across an unusually two-headed snake of great size and while daunting, proved capable of being hunted when certain conditions are met. Go for the eyes, use the forest to mislead them, and strike under the jaw. The encounter with the creature had taught him that these creatures consistently had bone-like plating protecting their upper bodies… but not their lower halves. Chikage had its fill of the vaporous blood and Sibyll walked away wiser.

The bears, though, proved to be a problem with their tenacity and strength. While slow moving and of large size, he knew the creatures' large arms swung at him with great force, tearing apart the trunks of trees as he ducked and evaded. One alone would be dealt with swiftly but a group often left him cornered and forced to run on more than one occasion. It would be unwise to hunt every creature out to kill him as his supplies were finite.

Encounters with the Beowolves, as Sibyll remembers Ruby naming them, were an exercise at most. The smaller and younger ones would be too impatient and the older ones were much too wary. Packs were more difficult to deal with, but the young hunter had found a pattern with each encounter: get close enough into their guard to surprise them and use the advantage to create a bloody display. That technique had frightened them off enough for the pack to turn tail and run.

It was useful information but Sibyll found himself more and more inclined to hunt them with each encounter. He could still hear the screams of their victims, the beasts feasting with their successful hunts. Their blood spoke volumes of such violent satisfaction in chasing down the weak and the unguarded or how furious they were when their prey escaped. So much hate and bloodshed…

And it pained Sibyll more when he did come across places where people had been inviting. They treated him with a kindness he hadn't experienced for a long time, how trusting and happy they were to see a new face among the roads. The young hunter often wondered how anyone would be willing to live outside the safety of city's walls. Why would these people choose to remain where death could come for them? Their lives were fragile, small things. He struggled to understand them but Sibyll decided to accept that this was simply their way. Whatever their reasons were, he would not intrude upon them.

But Sibyll would always return their kindness.

The young hunter would go out and hunt the creatures stalking their borders, propping up their remains as a warning to the rest. He would do this as an exchange for their help, but was unexpectedly overwhelmed with how much they rewarded him. Even now as he travels in the direction of another village, the young hunter takes small bites of fresh bread he had been given. The baker wanted to thank him personally for warding off the creatures away from her wheat fields. Sibyll couldn't refuse such generosity and hunting wild game often proves fruitless when the "Grimm" was about as well.

Sibyll tucked away the remainder of his bread and decided to take a break along a riverbank, formulating the next step of his "plan."

 _"I need to set up shop somewhere and establish a lantern, away from people in case they wander too close. I could hopefully find someplace abandoned but there does not appear to be an abundance of such things. I could inquire the next village. Would that be in poor taste? 'Greetings, I am searching for a place to start my shop, preferably deserted and alone?' It would not do well to have them suspicious of me more so than I have within the academy."_

Sibyll ran his hands over his eyes, massaging the tension in his brow.

 _"No, I have to search for someplace tied to the land's past. The sooner I find the chalices and destroy them, the sooner I can repair the Hunter's Dream. But so far, no one has heard of such places or holds knowledge of such ancient things. I may have had a better chance within the city but I simply must make do with the situation now. **Someone** must know something."_

The young hunter sat in silence a few moments more before setting off again. Hopefully the next town could answer one of his questions, even if the questions were dubious in nature. Night was on the horizon and he would have to make it there in time to avoid resting outside. Sibyll followed the bank just as he was told, pausing to take a drink before he heard the rustling of movement behind him.

Hurried footfalls, quickened breath, frantic, desperate to run off.

Sibyll turns back to the forest trying to find the source of the sound. Something else is following close behind the first sound and the young hunter begins his pursuit. Rushing into the forest, he follows a trail left behind by something large. It wasn't long until Sibyll finds the back of one of the bear creatures, pawing and striking against the bark of large tree. Up in its branches a child holds on tightly and fearful of the creature below. Her straw hat shook atop her with each hit, grip loosening and tightening. The creature itself was a much larger version than the one Sibyll had encountered, having more spikes upon its back. With the fading of the light, the young hunter would have to dispatch the creature and save the child before the rest would come. And the rest usually do.

Sibyll sets down his travelling pack and brandishes the Threaded Cane, shifting it into its whip form. The sound had caught the creature's attention and it turns to face an onslaught of slicing stings across its body. The young hunter flourishes and swings, making sure to draw enough blood to leave considerable damage. But the creature is resilient, going to a diagonal slash and forcing Sibyll to dash back. The fight couldn't be prolonged any further and Sibyll allowed the cane to slacken in his grip during another of his swing.

The whip of the cane goes limp mid-strike, wrapping itself loosely around the creature's neck. It tried to strike again but did not anticipate for the prey to move closer to it. The beast lost sight of its prey and before it could search for him, felt a swift motion around its neck, severing it from the rest of the body.

The young hunter stood over the body as he whipped away the blood on his weapon. Sibyll shifted it back into its cane form before looking up at the child in the trees.

"It is alright now little one," he called out. The child seemed reluctant to come down, wary of the person before her. It was a stranger, an unknown and her hometown warned her against such people. But the stranger had saved her. Even if he was a human, he had come to save where when he could have left her behind.

"If the jump is too high, I promise to catch you. You need not be afraid." She watched as his hands opened upward, motioning her to come down. She gave a small nod and allowed her self to fall, feeling strong arms catch her.

"There we are," he said as he set her down.

Sibyll noticed how dirty the young girl's dress had gotten, smeared with dirt and grass. He bent down to check over her body and noticed her flinching at his touch.

"I mean you no harm. I just want to see if you are injured," he said as he turned her body around gently and finding no wounds. He nods to himself before turning to his pack and unstrapped the torch (and strapping the cane in its place), setting it ablaze to light the area around them. He shouldered his pack and turned back to the young girl.

"I'll take you back safely," he said as he motioned for her to approach. The young girl walked to him tentatively and before she could react, was swept off her feat and resting in the crook of his arm.

"All you need to do is show me the way."

Their travel to her village was a short but silent one. Sibyll had decided to ask her questions as a means of conversation, to sway her mind from the darkness around them. Even if he was met with no reply, he was more interested in how she navigated them better than he could. The darkness of the nature surrounding him had even put his eyes on a slight strain but the young girl had guided him true. They broke out of the forest into a clearing and both could the high stone walls lit within their braziers. They followed the obscured road leading up to the opening gates and the young hunter could hear people moving about, calling to one another. The young girls squirmed in his hold and Sibyll placed her safely on the ground, watching her run off to meet them, leaving her hat behind.

"Chisa!? CHISA!" A man broke from the crowd to reach his daughter, pulling her into his arms and never letting go. Sibyll heard the young girl sob openly in familial safety as her father ran his hand through her hair, the hat long forgotten. The group of villagers gathered behind them, exchanging words of relief and relaxed breaths. As Sibyll approached, he picked up the discarded hat and attempted to hand it back to them before realizing a strange oddity about these people.

The young girl whose hat he retrieved had something quivering above her head, the same as her father's. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, the young hunter realized it was the same for the other villagers. Different sets of animalistic ears rested atop their crowns, some had their tails swishing about, gleaming fangs in the firelight, claws retracting back.

 _"No… I cannot have been too late to stop it. The city was still safe but these people…"_

Sibyll felt a rush of sickness, uneasy in the sight before him. He remembered the people of Yharnam, how sick they were… how malformed and beastly they had become when the scourge had taken over.

 _"This simply cannot be… It must be some sort of mistake!_ His thoughts raged and fought amongst themselves:

Confusion

Fear

Sickness

Symptoms

Violence

Bloodshed

Pyres

Screaming

Hunting

Beasts

 _Beasts_

 **BEASTS!**

Chisa's father looks up at the young hunter, wary of him but grateful for what he has done.

"Thank you for protecting my daughter and bringing her back safely," he said as he stood up and raised a hand to shake his.

Sibyll took a reflexively step back away from them. The sick feeling was growing exponentially, settling into the bottom of his stomach and lungs, but unable to move further.

These people… They were already sick…

It was too late for them…

They would turn eventually…

They would hunt down the others and each other…

They would spread their scourge…

Mercy…

The young hunter would be merciful to them…

Just like he had done so before…

"Is… everything alright?" Chisa's father asks.

But the surrounding Faunus villagers watched as the stranger before them reached for his sheathed blade… gripping the hilt tightly.

* * *

 **A/N: Another chapter comes to a close and boy is it got some stuff. Reception has been very well received as of now and I really want to take the moment to thank you readers. Honestly, it simply lifts my heart up to read about your excitement and anticipation for the next chapter. And really, I just wanted to say thank you. So, I hope this chapter had held up well and I look forward to all your reviews. Until next time.**


	7. Contents of a Soul

**A/N: On June 22** **nd** **, it would have been Monty Oum's birthday and I would like to take the time to wish him well. His work with Rooster Teeth and before still continues to amaze us and he truly left his mark, even if he left us terribly early. But we continue to honor and remember him by doing what he would have wanted us to do: anything as long as we work hard at seeing it through.**

 **In any case, I hope everyone had a lovely holiday that had come to pass and I apologize for taking so long in uploading this chapter. Hopefully it fulfills expectations. Some of you are very nervous (and upset) over the ending of the last chapter. Well then… Let's find out, shall we?**

* * *

 **{Present time: Beacon Academy, Gardens}**

The afternoon was fairly sunny and proving to be the ideal weather for outdoor excursions for the academy's students. Both uniformed and casual clad adolescents would soak up the day's warmth in between classes, varying from groups heartily discussing away or the lone, napping few. A particular hot spot on school grounds are the intricately designed gardens housing a variety of flora from the four kingdoms. From where Ruby was sitting, she also noticed how the other students seemed to be a bit overly familiar with one another. Maybe it was the atmosphere or maybe it was visiting foreign students. But the young reaper felt awkward watching the other students begin pair off in their strolls about the stone pathways.

"What happened in the dream," Qrow asks as he continued to whittle away at a small piece of wood.

"We're having breakfast," Ruby says as she refocuses her gaze toward the flower of her namesake. "All four of us are talking about what happened at Stonewell. It was when I got called…that."

Qrow couldn't suppress a grin as he remembered the day Summer and Taiyang had told him. He knew his niece looked up to the Huntress of old but her approach to heroism needed improvement and discipline. Qrow remained silent to allow Ruby to continue.

"Mom lectured me and Yang, but made us feel better. She reminded us who we _really_ are. And then he arrives at our door, asking for her to follow him."

"Sibyll, right?"

Ruby nods, eyes set upon a bunch of blooming white roses. "And she follows him, just like that. I was afraid of where he was going to take her… And what he was going to do to her…"

"So you kill him to protect Summer," Qrow affirmed.

"Mhm," Ruby responds as she turns to look at her uncle's handiwork. He appeared to be carving out a Grimm designed totem: the Nevermore taking precedence over its brethren, wings spread apart. Her uncle Qrow appeared to be more skilled than she or Yang initially thought as Ruby learned more about him. Whenever he had any down time, Qrow found a bit of peace in working away at pieces of wood, big or small. That carving and whittling, as he explained, was his way of meditating away his stress and to focus on one single task after another. It also explained why Ruby and Yang received a lot of handmade gifts from their uncle.

Ruby also learned that Qrow enjoyed teaching alongside Taiyang, the two sneaking off (at her father's insistence) to have a drink every now and then. How on more than one occasion, Qrow was forced to help his former teammate grade an overdue amount of papers. And how on the day Ruby was born, Qrow had been there when Taiyang introduced the older sister for the first time and openly wept tears of joy for his growing family. How her uncle had to literally hold her father up, as to not drop Yang and embarrass him further. She learned how efficient he had been when babysitting her and her sister, all the stories she couldn't remember growing up from his perspective.

And for Ruby, these stories helped keep her fears away. They were clear reminders of her humanity, a reason to continue fighting even if the pain and grief remains. Because as Qrow told her when he revealed the nature of his work, "The darkness will always remain and we have to come to terms with it."

For the young reaper, it was hard for her to hear her uncle speak so candidly about taking the life of another. More than once did she feel queasy and sick over the subject, but he made sure to not hold back. There could be no sugar coating or justification for the lives Qrow had ended. Whether in self defense or the necessity to preserve order, her uncle kills unwillingly. It made Ruby feel less of a monster to hear how much he regrets ever single time he has done so, always trying to find another solution in hindsight. And sometimes that was the only solution: kill or be killed, one life over many, them or you.

Even if they couldn't wash their hands of blood, someone would always be in need of protecting. Qrow had told Ruby that, no matter what, she would always have her family and friends to understand and support her. Even if she had taken the life of another, she should try and forgive herself because she had done what was necessary.

"And then you blamed yourself for the death of everyone you loved," Qrow confirms, beginning to work on a coiled King Taijitu.

Ruby didn't answer as she returned to observing the white roses. Of course the young girl blamed herself, even if it was simply a nightmare. The _"Darling Rose"_ could do nothing to have saved her friends: she was weak, lacking, and…scared. Ruby was afraid that after Sibyll had finished with the rest, he would come for her. Ruby had already told her uncle of the recurring nightmare over and over, the details never changing. But it was an exercise: take the dream apart into separate elements and analyze them, discover the root of the terror. Even when they had finally figured out the young reaper was struggling with guilt and trying to uphold her "no-kill philosophy" (as Qrow put it), Ruby placed herself at the center to bear the weight on her own.

"Ruby, you aren't responsible for deaths within a dream. That goes double for what happened to your mother." Qrow smoothed out the Taijitu's coil form before continuing.

"Summer's mission was to guard and escort a trader's caravan from one of the outlying outposts to a mid-way settlement between Vale and Vacuo. And that's _exactly_ what she did. No one anticipated for their path to cross a nesting Great Horn."

Great Horns: owl-like Grimm that have a dreadful skill of nocturnal ambushes and paralyzing its prey with a hypnotic gaze. They compete with the other avian Grimm to great success, even scaring off the largest of Nevermores. Versatile in roosting in any terrain or climate and survivors of such attacks would always talk about the fear they felt in those seemingly unblinking, glowing red eyes. How they could almost see themselves in the reflection before it would swoop down and try to hunt them.

Qrow grimaced over the memory of the reports. The caravan had been attacked during a routine stop near a marked watering hole, cleared of any Grimm presence on the ground. Any flocking Nevermores had been redirected away but the scouting Huntsmen didn't think to destroy any of the empty nests. Predatory birds often occupy the nests left behind and the same could be said for the Grimm. It was a poor decision that had cost that mission a life of great weight.

"But if I hadn't asked her to go, she would still be here!" Ruby finally spoke, feeling the grief well up. "If I hadn't bothered her with something so _stupid_ and childish, she would still be alive!"

Ruby couldn't even remember what it was that she bothered her mother with. She was simply persistent and eager over her mother going to Vacuo to bring something exotic back. And her mother had left to do so.

"She would have gone anyways," Qrow replied as his tone seemed detached. Ruby turned to face him, shocked.

"She should have **stayed** at home! With us! With her family and—"

"Let someone else do her job inefficiently, possibly leading to a slaughter," he finished.

Qrow paused in his work to look over at his niece, eye pleading for him to take back those words. And the old Huntsman wished he could. But he knew just how proficient of a Huntress Summer had been, enough to have lowest civilian casualties on her record. She was one of the few who were always in such high demand in all four kingdoms, proving to be a curse in its own way. But Qrow knew Summer persisted simply to provide for her family and serve humanity as best as she could. And she did. The caravan traders were able to escape, giving Summer and the Great Horn the space to fight. When a support party of other Hunters arrived on scene, the fight was already over with both hunter and beast slain.

"You don't mean that…" Ruby's voice cracked slightly.

"I do," Qrow said as he return to whittling. "And blaming yourself for her death won't change anything Ruby. Being a Huntress means dying comes with the territory. It is the path all hunters serve."

Quiet fell between the two as Qrow continued to work on an Ursa design. Slowly and methodically, he peeled away the wood into shape and made sure to engrave the filigree on their masks. He blew away the shavings and when he felt satisfied with the results, began working on the shape of a Deathstalker.

"Before she was your mother," he began, "she was a Huntress. She pledged her life to protecting the lives and dreams of the people around her. And whenever our team failed in a training mission, she was the one who took it the hardest because she _needed_ to succeed. Summer wanted to prove she could save everyone. So she continued to try, even after we graduated and went our separate ways. She made sure everyone would make it out okay, even if it meant putting herself at unnecessary risk."

Qrow stopped, looking down at his hands.

"But you **can't** save everyone Ruby… Summer had to learn that the hard way when she and Taiyang were about to have you."

Ruby saw as Qrow faced her, seeing a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"She was away on an infiltration mission, renegade hunters causing problems for the outside settlements. Of course she wasn't feeling well, morning sickness taking is hold. But she insisted she was fine. She only started to suspect she was pregnant when the nausea hadn't settled down. She finally confirmed it when had her hands around a man's neck and wringing the life out of him."

Qrow turned to look at the same bundle of white roses.

"Your mother did her beast to avoid turning her weapon against another person. She had designed it with only the Grimm in mind but what could a soon-to-be mother do when she's disarmed and about to die? Call it intuition or coincidence, but felt afraid of dying for the first time. She confessed to wanting to run, abandoning her mission because _something_ warned her to. If she stayed, she would die. If she tried to run, how would she know they wouldn't come for her and her family?"

The old hunter returned to the totem, finalizing its design with the Beowolf residing at the bottom.

"She couldn't leave your father and sister behind but she couldn't risk their safety. Not when she could do something about it. And she didn't dare risk the life she was carrying. So she fought to survive and came home. It wasn't easy and like you, she couldn't forgive herself. Summer wished for better alternatives and a different ending."

He handed Ruby the newly finished totem: Nevermore, Taijitu, Ursa, Deathstalker and Beowolf. She ran her fingers over the rough surface, tracing along the intricate designs of their shape and defining features. For Ruby, it was a physical reminder of who her true enemies were.

"It's impossible save everyone. If you try, you forget the people most important to you. The best you can hope for is to try and save as many as you can, and forgive yourself when you can't. Even if it means making a tough choice you don't want to."

Qrow stood up and dusted off the wood shavings as he pocketed his carving knife.

"Isn't that right, Yang?"

Ruby heard someone drop from the from above behind them. She turned to find her sister grinning awkwardly from being caught and watched as she stood by her side.

"Eh heh heh heh…" she chuckled as she gave Ruby an apologetic smile.

"You were listening the whole time?" Ruby asked, clearly distressed in being overheard.

"Well, it was either that or wait forever in hopes that you'll open up to the team," Yang replied as she crossed her arms. Even with a month having gone by since then, the rest of Team RWBY was patient for their leader. But even they couldn't quell their concerns.

"We're worried Ruby…"

"And you don't think I am too!?" Ruby yelled. "I'm scared of what you all might think of me. _I'm_ terrified of what I think of me and… and…"

Before Ruby could continue, she felt her cheeks pinched and squished under her sister's hands and the young girl struggled in Yang's grasp. Shouts of protests filled the air around them, drawing attention from the other students but they quickly turned away at the sight. After having her fill in bringing her sister away from self depreciating thoughts, Yang placed her hands on Ruby's shoulders.

"Ruby, what is it exactly did you think we would look at you as?"

Ruby looked down at her feet, shuffling them against the walkway.

"I was afraid all of you would think I was becoming a problem. That I was ruining team dynamic and—"

"We would stay by your side no matter what," Yang stated firmly. Ruby looked up to her sister as she continued. "Come on Rubes, what sort of team would we be if we just up and abandon you like that? I mean… did you _enjoy_ what you did?"

"No!" the young girl shouts.

"Then you feel bad about it right? Like you want to avoid ever doing it again?"

"Of course!"

"Then there you go. That's it." Yang smiled as Ruby frowned in disbelief. It couldn't be that simple! Ruby knew there was more to it than just that as her talk with her uncle proved it.

"Ruby, you're still a good kid. And you'll continue being good because that's just how you are. Alright? Just trust me on this." Yang gave her sister a firm squeeze before letting go. Ruby, still feeling conflicted on her part decided to accept her words and hoped she was right.

"Whelp," Yang said as she stretched out her arms, "I think it's high time we head out to see the headmaster. Apparently, we're needed for a support mission and I need you to go get Weiss and Blake."

Ruby raised an eyebrow at her sister's request.

"Couldn't we just call them on their scroll?"

Yang rubbed her chin, mimicking deep thought as she responded, "Well they did say were going to the library. And we both know Weiss is a stickler for the rule. Blake on the other hand will pretty much be too deep into her book notice. I think… In any case, I'm sure they'll be happy to see you."

Ruby took a wary glance at Qrow who nodded for the girl to take her leave. The young reaper hesitated but was urged on by Yang's burst of "impatience."

"Come on, Ruby! I don't want to say it but you've been hogging uncle Qrow to yourself the **whole time**! We haven't seen him for a while and I want to catch up to!"

While her words were intentionally exaggerated, Yang had indeed wished to catch up with her uncle. But there was something that needed to be discussed and Yang preferred her sister be kept out of it. Ruby let out a sigh and nodded to both of them before disappearing in a flurry of rose petals, zipping around the other strollers. The blonde brawler wore a smile before she allowed it to drop, believing Ruby wouldn't return to quickly.

"I take it my sister made contact with you?" Qrow asked as he began to make his way to the tower with his niece in tow.

"Yeah… It was after the breach in Vale that she wanted us to meet."

"And I'm to assume she has shared a lot of things with you."

"Mm-hmm."

Yang fell silent as she thought back to the night she encountered Raven. The meeting itself was strange, almost dreamlike as the world around them seems to stutter and lose focus. There was a familiar air about her and when Raven took off her mask, Yang realized they were splitting images of each other. Both women even shared the same colored irises, a deep red that would occasional flash when the blonde brawler's temperament was tested. She had a hunch that the woman before her was the savior on that train during her fight with Torchwick's elusive accomplice. It still bothered Yang on how she lost the fight so easily, falling for such tactics to make her angry and lose focus. Had Raven not intervene, she wouldn't have come out alive.

"…And did you believe her?" Qrow had asked as they both exited the gardens and made their way through the courtyard.

"To be honest, I'm not what sure to believe. There's just too much to take in and Ruby needs me more, given everything that's happened."

Yang's strides had put her at an equal pace with her uncle.

"You've been searching for her for a while now Yang," Qrow added.

"And I didn't expect to find her so soon. Hell, half the reason _why_ I wanted to become a Huntress was to find her, find out why she decided to just up and leave. Then one day she just reappears, probably thinking that saving my life once would make up for years of absence…"

Qrow had chosen to say nothing and allowed his silence to serve as his acknowledgment. He knew Raven never fulfilled her role as a mother to Yang, choosing her duty over family. He was just as surprised as everyone when she suddenly disappeared, never leaving a note or any form of explanation. And whatever Raven had chosen to share with Yang remained with Yang alone.

Yang shook her head, releasing any unwanted thoughts along with it.

"We'll table it for now uncle. A job's come up and I promised Summer to look after Ruby."

* * *

 **{Past: Two Weeks after the Hunter's "death}**

Sibyll stood in the remains of his work, his hands and body covered with the blood of his victims. So many bodies were strewn about, pieces and chunks evidential to his skill and the young hunter flicks the blood from his blade.

It had to be done.

As Sibyll sheaths his sword, he knew that deep down… his actions were necessary as he was bound to uphold the Hunter's Oath. He swore to hunt down the beasts which stalk the darkness and to strike down any who were afflicted with the scourge. Even if it meant hunting down every last man, woman, and child, the young hunter was doing them a service. If the memories within the blood had spoken anything, the cried out in pain, regret, and asking for the horrors to come to an end. For the victims, it was a terribly nightmare to be enslaved by such a need for blood and violence. They couldn't stop themselves and many didn't want to.

So Sibyl had them slain by his hands. Better **he** than the other Hunters who would take their time or use the afflicted for experiments. The young hunter clenched his hands at the thought, cursing the woman who had taken Iosefka's identity to lure people in. Using the populous' fear as a means to gather test subjects… The very notion sickened him and the young hunter ensured their pain was reciprocated tenfold on the doctor herself.

Even as she was hunched over a gurney driven mad by the night's hour, Sibyll made sure to slowly drag the knife. He had pinned her gruesomely to the gurney's bed and watched as her life ebbed away slowly. The night was long and he had the moment to spare.

The young hunter shook his head, doing his best to put the memory away. It wouldn't do to succumb to the madness again. Murdering Iosefka's double wasn't his proudest moment, but like the rest of his hunt… it was necessary.

He vowed that those who were sick would die by his blade: quick and painless.

So why was it he felt terrible over what he had done now?

The bodies of men and women lie in the street… why did this sight hurt him so? An ache swelled in his chest, a voiceless scream caught in his throat, and tears of remorse dared to threaten his composure.

Sibyll forced himself to walk away from the scene and hoped fresher air would cleanse him of his guilt. But the way back was long and scattered with the bodies, a trail of lifeless breadcrumbs. There were so many… Their cries still echoing in his head, their blood filtering his sight as the young hunter pressed on. So many bodies he had cut down, lives ruined and violently ended by his hand. Was it truly his fault?

"I am sorry…" he mumbled, making his way through town.

"I am so, terribly sorry," he pleaded with himself as he stopped at the gates.

"Gods, forgive me for what I have done," Sibyll begged as he sunk to his knees. The young hunter hid his tears behind his hands, weeping.

"Forgive me, for savoring the hunt."

Sibyll awoke with a start, damp with sweat and breathing staggered. Eyes darted around as he assessed his surroundings: a simple room with a window and curtains, dresser, and the bed he slept in. Light filtered through, signifying morning and Sibyll sighed in relief. Another memory, another nightmare from the forsaken city. The young hunter settled back into the mattress, resting against the pillow as he tried to remember where was. He rested an arm over his eyes, thinking about the night prior.

* * *

 _Sibyll reached for his weapon, gripping the hilt tightly but not drawing it. If he were to draw first, then the young hunter would be foolishly telegraphing his intent. He would allow the afflicted to draw first. That way, his actions were justified for self defense and as a hunter, would give his prey the fighting chance it would deserve._

 _He watched as the crowd of the townspeople grew quiet, their bodies tensing over his threatening posture. Some of their claws extended from their hands, their muscles tensing as if to act or react. Some were unafraid to bare their fangs, subdued hissing and guttural growls coming from their throats. So many of them, still alert and nimble…_

" _Outnumbered… but not outmatched," Sibyll thought to himself. His grip tightened and he could hear the murmuring of the crowd growing agitated. Some of the townspeople have broken out of the group to take positions ahead of them, defensive formations to stop the stranger before them. The young hunter noticed they were lacking any form of weapons, possibly preferring to fight unarmed. It would only make the young hunter's job easier._

 _From the crowd the young girl, Chisa, broke their ranks and began to approach Sibyll. Her father called for her to return, but she had run to stand before the young hunter, avoiding the reaching hands of the townspeople. She looked up to see his eyes, reminding her of a summer's sun but startled. As if he was afraid of her…_

 _Chisa reached her hand out to him and Sibyll took a reflexively step back._

" _He's scared of me?" she thought. Why? He was nice to her, talking to her as nighttime fell and keeping her safe from the monsters. And the stranger was gentle with her too; never holding her too tightly or roughly as some of the other children would when they would play. But why did he look so scared?_

 _Sibyll kept his eyes on the young girl before him, keeping the rest of them in earshot. She appears to be rather bold, going so far as to reach out to him. But wasn't she afraid of him? Many like them always were, scared at the presence of a hunter. Many who were scared and tried to fight back. But she was looking at him, contact never breaking and unafraid. Chisa's eyes were… curious. Studying him and the way her eyes subtly moved back and forth about his form, it seemed she was trying to understand him. But why? Why would she be so unafraid of death, afraid of facing a violently, necessary end? To be so unabashed and innocent surely was a luxury. The young hunter suddenly felt afraid._

" _Something is not right here…" his thoughts formed. Chisa tried to reach out again and again, Sibyll took one step back. The townspeople watched as one of their youngest appeared to ward of this stranger, somewhat unusual as the noticed the stranger's hand begin to tremble._

" _Please, do not make this any more difficult than it has to," Sibyll pleaded in his mind. And Chisa quickly took hold of Sibyll, his body freezing up as the young girl tightly hugged his waist. Thoughts running rampant in his mind, confused and unused to such contact._

 _Chisa nuzzled her face against him, hoping it was enough to express her thanks. It was only right to thank someone who had helped her, even when he was scared of her, even if he was a stranger._

 _Sibyll looked down at the girl embracing him, feeling her warmth feed into his body. It wasn't unwelcomed, but unaccustomed. When was the last time he had felt such contact? Chisa looked up to him, her eyes a sparkling shade of purple like dusk had set in those irises. Her innocent demeanor reminded him of_ _ **her**_ _._

" _ **Thank you very much mister hunter! I love you almost as much as mum and dad, and granddad!"**_

 _A young girl who smiled at him through the bars of her window, beautifully light colored hair tied up with a pure, white bow. Her eyes too held dusk in them and sparkled just as much. She too was so trusting of him, believing him capable of finding her missing mother and father. And Sibyll searched for them earnestly only to discover too late… And the girl's eyes then. He couldn't tell her. How could he? How does one tell a young girl her parents will never come home? A girl all alone in her home, hoping the young hunter would find them. Sibyll couldn't bear for the girl to be heartbroken, for her to lose that smile. And he thought it best to send her toward the Cathedral Ward: her incense burner beginning to dangerously low._

 _It had taken her some convincing and coaxing, making numerous promises to protect her and take her somewhere safer. And she believed him._

 _Hand in hand they walked through the quiet streets, doing their best to avoid the roaming pack of "hunters" and taking as much time needed to escape unheard. They had come so far and, so close to reaching the chapel. But Sibyll had been careless, coming across the group that stalked the bridge on their path. He was still weak then, much weaker and easily overwhelmed with a young one in his care._

 _So he shouted for her to run, to hide and promised to find her. And Sibyll fought. Six men and a Brick Troll had put him through his pace. Beaten and bloodied he had come out the survivor of their skirmish. And the young hunter called out for her. When he was met with no reply, he searched for her. Worry hadn't set in, even as he limped to the chapel to ask the Samaritan had seen her. So he searched and eventually found what was left of her, inside that vile creature in the sewers below. Even the creatures there would keep at bay as the hunter's scream reverberated through the narrow hall._

 _Chisa was not that girl but her eyes trusted him all the same. And Sibyll knew he couldn't raise his blade against her… He released his hold over his weapon and bent down to meet her eyes equally. The young hunter tentatively reached out to place his hand over her head, ruffling her hair gently. His fingers tracing along pointed ears, careful to not cause her any unease. And as he did so, Chisa noticed how gently the stranger had become. He looked less stiff, less scared than he was moments ago ad she allowed him to touch her ears._

" _You are welcome little one," the stranger spoke as if reading her thoughts. He then stood and turned to walk back to the forest's edge with his torch as his only light._

 _Sibyll couldn't remain there any longer. Not when he still could turn his sword against them. He didn't want to remember those early nights in Yharnam and the young hunter would chance a night in those darkened woods. Anything to sleep away his regret._

 _But more images began to flash before his eyes, memories that were not his own:_

 _A young man watches as a woman and her daughter walked about the market's stalls in the open, seaside air. The crowd was lively, voices carrying about as many peddled their wares and services. But the young man's eyes were enraptured with the mother, her beauty so homely and warm that the man's face blushed uncharacteristically. She was young with her long green hair moved in the breeze, her complexion tanned, bearing a warm smile. He loved how her blouse was airy enough to hug against her slim frame, but slyly thought how it left a lot to the imagination. He watched as her tail would occasionally wag and sway about as her and her daughter enjoyed the samples of the enamored vendors. His eyes gave a slight glance to her backside, and he enjoyed how nicely her capri pants hugged her long legs nicely._

 _But it seems her daughter caught him staring at her mother, and the child frowned. Of course all the guys were looking at her mother, they_ _ **always**_ _were. Her ears twitched in irritation and when the young man's eyes caught hers, she stuck her tongue out at him._

 _The man was no stranger to such obstructions but the little girl who shared her mother's looks issued a challenge he was willing to take. He returned the gesture by sticking his tongue out as well and watched as the daughter gasped, tugging at her mother's hand and pointing at him. She turns to find a curious young man in all black, sitting atop a cobblestone wall watching them with a small smile. He gave her a wave and she could only chuckle behind her hand before guiding her daughter deeper into the crowd._

 _He sighed as the elusive beauty was lost to the crowd. Hopefully their paths would cross again before he left before he turned his attention to the passers by. A motley collection of people from all different walks of life and different heritages walked the streets around him. Some had well defined animalistic features and everyone exchanged pleasantries with one another. And none of them appeared to be sick. None of them had turned on one another and there was an enviable peace Sibyll hadn't seen._

" _Qrow! You've been ogling the ladies again?" a voice asks and Sibyll turns to see three other people approach the young man. They had faces he couldn't quite place with the exception of a young woman in a white hood and bearing silver eyes._

 _Sibyll felt himself grow sluggish, even as the rest of the memory played out. Each step forward began to be too much a struggle, his balance shifting and the young hunter felt the torch slip from his hand. Fatigue had set in as his body slumped forward toward the ground. In the back of his mind, he heard a small voice speak out to him._

" _One of the greatest battles against the Grimm to have ever taken place is most definitely the Battle of Fort Prospect: where both Man and Faunus-kind united against the monsters and pushed back the dark!" Ruby's voice said enthusiastically._

 _The young hunter lost consciousness and felt body lifted and carried. Voices spoke out, wary and concerned. So many of them and then…_

* * *

Nothing.

Falling simply asleep as Sibyll dreamt of a darker time. Someone had been kind enough to carry him into their home and allow him rest from his travel. His eyes wandered to the door to see his bag, boots, and weapons resting idly by, and the young hunter hoped they had left it as such. It would be his undoing had anyone decided to look through his belongings and start asking questions. His coat and vest were neatly folded atop the dresser and Sibyll made a note to clean them when given a chance by the riverside.

The young hunter got up from his bed and exited the room into the hall. He could smell food being cooked although the house itself had been quiet. Slowly, he made his way to the more open part of the house to see a man's back, busily cooking meats and eggs before turning to find Chisa looking up at him from the dining room table. She gave him a small wave before returning to her meal and her father, finally finishing, placed the food on the table.

"Come, let's eat," he said simply. There were no malice in his words, no trace of resentment or wariness. Just a simple statement of invitation and Sibyll slowly took his place alongside them. Breakfast was eaten quietly for the most part and after Chisa had finished her share, disappeared back into the hallway. Sibyll's eyes followed her before looking back to her father, silently searching for an explanation.

"She has classes in the morning with the other children. We won't see her for a bit of the day but she'll be back for lunch," her father shared as he took a sip of coffee.

"Ah…" Sibyll responds as he takes another tentative bite.

Both men return to the quiet as the Chisa returns to the open room, dressed for the day and with her school bag. Her father stands, making sure nothing is out of place before hugging her tightly.

"I don't want you leaving the village, okay? I still haven't a clue as to how you did it, but don't, okay? It's dangerous out there."

Chisa hugs him back before turning to Sibyll. She approaches him at the table and gives his arm a firm squeeze before running out the door to the children awaiting her.

"That's her way of wishing people good day. She's a good girl, though Chisa can be a pretty shy one around the older folks," her father adds before settling back at the table. Sibyll nods in acknowledgment and continues his habit of small bites. The young hunter's eyes glance up to the father's second pair of ears, pointed just like his daughter but having a sandalwood color instead of Chisa's sky blue. Sibyll thought it strange how he never noticed it before.

"You must have been pretty worn out to have collapsed last night. Were you travelling far?" the father asks in an attempt to make conversation.

"I have. It certainly is quite the trek," Sibyll responded. The young hunter's response had been unintentionally curt and was unsure if the father had seen it as such. Sibyll paused and carefully put his utensils down before looking up at Chisa's father.

"Forgive me. You have been too kind in taking me into your home and providing such hospitality. And I have been rude to not even introduce myself. My name is Sibyll, may I ask what is yours?" the young hunter said as he put a hand forth. Chisa's father looked puzzled at the gesture before chuckling and shaking his hand.

"Cormack Stevenson," he replies. The handshake was firm and Sibyll felt better in establishing formalities with the man.

"You know, you certainly gave us a fright last night," Cormack commented before returning to his meal. "It's not very often humans come to our town and when they do, it isn't always on the best of terms."

Sibyll's head drooped slightly.

"I apologize for my actions," he said earnestly. "I have not had much experience in meeting people of your kind. It is fair to say that where I have come from has left me wholly unacquainted. I hope I have not caused any injury or insult with my ignorance."

Cormack looked over the young man, taking his words into consideration.

" _Well, at least he's honest and formal about it,"_ he thought before replying. "It's alright. You appear to mean well and it can be a bit of a shock if it's your first time with a Faunus settlement."

"Do you mind… dispelling a few inaccuracies for me? I do not wish to offend any others with any false presumptions." Sibyll thought it best to learn about these people as best he could. If they are the natural inhabitants of this world, then he would have to study their customs and cultures, possibly finding more than one answer.

"Sure, what do you want to know?"

"You are… not sick?" Sibyll internally sighed at the lack of tact in his question but he needed assurance the plague had yet to rise. And if it had and these people adapted to it, then it would pose a new series of inquiries.

"Sick? Well, I do feel myself coming down with a slight cold. But nothing too serious—"

Cormack noticed how Sibyll's eyes occasionally drifted to his other ears and finally understood the premise of the question.

"Oh… You mean if I _caught_ something to get these?" he asked as he pointed to his pointed ears. Sibyll broke eye contact, feeling the heat of shame rise to his face but nodded none the less. Cormack crossed his arms, giving a small snort. It wasn't mean spirited, just surprised that few would still believe in the old world notions. Cormack settled back into his set before continuing.

"I was born this way and so has every Faunus before and after my time."

Sibyll nodded. "And you don't have any secondary…forms?"

"Well aside from our night vision and the few who can extended their claws and fangs, no. We don't turn into lycanthropes or other large beasts. There's no such thing as a faunus person stealing children and turning them into another of its kind. We don't worship the Grimm and we certainly don't go into heat. As absurd as those claims are, we don't. And we're not animals despite the features. Granted each one of us carry a trait to our root heritage but we're not bound by it. We can be as carnivorous or herbivorous as we choose. Does seem to cover everything?"

The young hunter mulled over what he learned. The people who refer themselves as the Faunus are not to be seen as a threat, nor to be associated with those in Yharnam in concept. But while they are not infected with the plague, Sibyll wondered what would become of them should he fail in preventing the spread of such disease. Would they meet the same fate anyways? Or something much worse? Sibyll's brow frowned at a bit of detail, wondering why it felt to be a clear contradiction.

"You mentioned earlier that your people and the humans were on unfavorable terms. Why is that?"

"You really don't know?" For Cormack, it was unusual for a human to not know the history between their peoples. Even after the wars, the struggle for acceptance had led many faunus to cry out for equality one way or another.

"No…I only heard mention of Fort Prospect. But I assumed..." The young hunter couldn't continue, knowing to an extent what the Faunus had faced and suffered from.

"Strange huh? Everyone joins together to push back the Grimm to establish the Valean Borders but the fighting's never done: skirmishes over land, businesses, or to simply have a meal out in public. But someone's always going be the contrarian. People either believe we're animals or ungrateful. And you would think my people have proven themselves as equals during that battle," Cormack concluded.

"I am sorry to hear that," Sibyll consoled.

"It's not your fault. It wouldn't do to blame others for their ancestor's ignorance, only their upbringing I suppose. But enough of that. How's breakfast?"

"Simply delectable."

Cormack let out a hearty chuckle. "You truly have an old fashioned approach to things, don't you?"

"It appears so," the young hunter admitted.

Both men finished their meals and Sibyll was given a tour around the town of Addersfield. The locals were cordial enough, even when the young hunter noticed how guarded they were with his presence. The buildings were of fair size, sturdily made safely within the large stone walls. Sibyll noticed that, while the town consisted of many homes, there were plenty of opportunities to be found in their wide variety of shops and services. They stopped before the town's main hall and Cormack gestured over to the building.

"That's where the town settles all of its business both on the home front and with the neighboring settlements. People on the committee gather here to discuss the town's needs and things thereof. It's also where we can make contact with the kingdom's capital or Beacon Academy whenever we need Hunters to handle out Grimm problem."

Sibyll paused over the mention of the academy.

"You are in contact with Beacon?" the young hunter asked.

"Mhmm. Whenever the capital can't send us licensed Hunters, we're in touch with the headmaster and he sends us trainees in their stead. We have our Grimm problem solved and the students earn their experience."

"Quid-pro-quo."

"Well, I wouldn't put it like that but sure. I guess that's one way of looking at it."

Cormack took a moment to himself, remembering how the town was due for another Grimm clearing from the nearby areas.

"Come to think of it, we did put in a request at the academy for some support. They're not due for a few a while but if you can, maybe you can help?"

He turned to Sibyll, hoping his request wasn't too forward to the newcomer. And the young hunter found himself at a crossroads. He couldn't spend any more time within Addersfield as his search for the relics could essentially be anywhere. But it wouldn't do to not return the kindness he was shown, even if the locals continue to walk a distance away from him. The young hunter looked back to the town's main hall, weighing the choices before considering a mid-way alternative.

"I cannot stay long but I will do what I can."

"Excellent!" Cormack stated as he guided Sibyll up the steps.

"Cormack, does your town happen to have any texts about ancient civilizations?"

* * *

 **{Present time: Beacon Library}**

"Did you hear about what's going on outside the kingdom?"

"You mean that wandering guy or whatever, right?"

"They say he's going town to town slaying Grimm by himself!"

"Pssh, that's no way true. _I_ heard that there are two of them and they're both renegades."

"Word is, the guy goes around stringing up Grimm like scarecrows and leaves them half-dead so the others know to stay away."

"I'm calling bullshit on that! Who would do something so useless? I mean, Grimm scared of _one_ guy just because he's a weirdo?"

"Some say he uses just one strike and _BAM!_ Grimm totally headless and he's standing there without breaking a sweat. Complete badass."

"I heard that he bathes in Grimm blood. People are saying that's why his sword and hair are red and everything! Like a total beast!"

"My aunt who has a friend whose cousin had seen him said he wears a mask over his face. _Totally~_ sketchy, like he's trying to hide his identity or whatever."

"Tim's older brother, who works as the post delivery guy, said some towns turned him away because they think he's recruiting young kids to join his cult or something."

"You think he's maybe working for the White Fang?"

"Dunno, last he was seen he was headed toward a Faunus settlement. But knowing them, they might just throw their young at him if it means to get back at the humans."

"What if he's a fugitive or something? Y'know? Hiding outside the walls and away from the law?"

"People are saying he's quite the looker. I mean, _come on:_ long dark coat, well built frame, and such a **rogue-** type bad boy? I wouldn't mind if he found me and—"

"Hey Blake, is everything alright?"

Blake's thoughts were pulled away from the murmuring voices within the library. Over the course of a month, rumors had begun to spread from outside the kingdom, and while not unusual, she found herself tensing up over a few key details. Her attention was brought over to the person beside her, his eyes filled with a careful worry as his tail curled and uncurled nervously.

"I'm alright Sun, thanks for asking."

Blake had long since abandoned any form of reading whenever she was in the presence of the mischievous Sun Wukong. Messy blonde hair sat over a tanned face, occasionally hiding his dark gray eyes which would light up with excitement or playful abandon. Never one for uniform, the monkey faunus opted for more lax attire and displayed his frustratingly well tone body (which Blake would admit to admiring on a rare occasion). Sun appeared to be seemingly carefree but proved himself serious whenever needed and a loyal listener during their first days on knowing each other.

And of course, there was also the fact that Sun was unabashedly smitten with her. His advances attempted to take a more subtle approach but were more or less obvious whenever his suggestions included only the two of them. Granted, Blake had gone with him on a few excursions into the city as friends and it wasn't that his affections were unwelcome. But for Blake, such luxuries often took to the back burner while more pressing matters were made apparent. She was an ex-White Fang member trying to make amends for her past and things like romance would only get in the way. Blake didn't want to be romantically involved with anyone (yet), not when she was forced to hide who she was. And she certainly couldn't when her people still faced discrimination and oppression. Blake valued Sun's company and his loyalty to stick by her like the rest of her friends. But it hurt to be unable to reciprocate those feelings and still see him faithful by her side.

Blake looked across the table to see Weiss and Neptune in a deep discussion, something about dust based technological advances. Despite his suave and "cool" demeanor, Neptune Vasilias had proven to be smart and knowledgeably on par with Ruby in terms of practical engineering. His weapon spoke volumes of great attention to detail and streamlining, just as versatile as its owner. Although Blake did notice the smug grin he was wearing to counter Weiss' more indignant approach, but the small smile the heiress hid conveyed an enjoyment of sparring with an equal.

"How long have they been going at it?" Blake asks, referring to the rest of their company. Sun turned to rest his cheek on his hand, his expression half-way between bored and cheeky.

"About fifteen minutes now. Weiss thought she had the upper hand but Neptune swept the rug right under her. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she enjoys it when he takes control, if you know what I—"

Sun's commentary is briefly cut off as an aura infused eraser pelts the side of his head, and both turn to see a crimson colored heiress.

"You perverted and insolent cur!" Weiss' shriek gave way to many onlookers in the library and a litany shushes. But they fell on deaf ears as she stood from her seat and set her wrathful gaze on the Sun, hoping to melt him on the spot. Sun gave a wary side glance to Blake and was surprised to see her give no interference and preferring to return to her book. It was a terrible move a friend could do, throwing him under the bus. But then again, Sun threw himself under in hopes of earning some semblance of a grin from the composed girl. And he found it, tucked away behind the cover a book and he knew it was well worth it.

"Come on, Weiss. We both know Sun's just messing with you at your expense and he should know better," Neptune said in hopes of calming her down. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and guided her back to her seat. The blue haired youth shot a rare frown to his partner, reserved for these sorts of moments when the monkey faunus overstepped his boundaries. Sun shrunk back into his seat returned an apologetic smile though lacking any sense of remorse.

Weiss simply huffed and crossed her arms, allowing the moment to pass. The young heiress had heard her fair share of slander or suggestive quips and done well to shrug them off. But it was down right infuriating to be base of any joke between the two blondes of their small circle: while Sun could be tolerable, Yang was truly insufferable with her sly grin and penchant for suggestive perversion.

"I'll forget you even said that," she stated as she glared at Sun.

" _You're just lucky Neptune is your partner,"_ she added in her thoughts. Weiss believed it wouldn't do to be on bad terms with Neptune's team, especially when she wanted to get to know him more… personally. But she couldn't be seen as anything but "calm and collected" to match his more "cool" approach.

"There, we're all friend again," Neptune said as he looked over the group with a grin before leaning in close to Weiss.

"And you know… I wouldn't mind letting you take the lead. I happen to like a lady in charge," he whispered in her ear. Weiss didn't need to see the absolutely haughty smile and Neptune already knew just how red the girl had turned. And while Sun may have missed the private message, Blake had caught the whole thing unintentionally with her sensitive hearing.

" _You certainly are bold,_ " Blake thought as she watched Weiss give Neptune an aura infused slap to his shoulder. Before the heiress could grant him another, Ruby suddenly appeared next to their table, bringing with her a small gust of wind.

"Hey guys…" Ruby said shyly. The young reaper had yet to catch up with the rest of her team but she promised to catch up on the missing time. "I'm here to let you know that we have a mission and—" Ruby turned to her partner and was puzzled to see her so unsettled.

"Is everything alright Weiss?" Ruby moved between her and Neptune, unknowingly cutting them off. She placed her forehead against Weiss' to gauge for a fever yet found none. "You're not sick because of me… right?"

From Weiss' perspective, her vision was filled with Ruby's concerned gaze. Silver colored eyes wilting over the thought of causing her partner to become unwell with everything the young girl was going through. The way Ruby pouted, her bottom lip trembling slightly, melted the frigid exterior Weiss tried hard to uphold. She was supposed to remain indifferent to things, keeping them at a safe distance away. Even with Neptune, she was careful to maintain a sense of reservation and his little stunt had simply caught her off guard. Yet here Ruby was, breaching her barriers without a second thought.

Weiss carefully pushed Ruby away and stood up.

"I'm fine Ruby. Let's get going," she responded before packing away her things and pulling the little reaper along.

"Are you sure? I mean, you still look very red."

"I ASSURE YOU EVERYTHING IS FINE."

Neptune turned to the remaining company and shrugged before following the duo out. Blake could only sigh as she returned the book to a nearby return cart and followed the rest at a more leisurely place. Still, the young woman couldn't help but overhear more tidbits of conversation and gossip over the on goings outside the kingdom.

"Weird huh?" Sun commented as exited the library.

"What do you mean?"

"It's those rumors about someone going town to town and stuff. I mean, 'a lone hero saving a town from its monsters and problems' seems too typical. Like someone right out of a story or something and people _here_ are even talking about it."

Blake looked over at him curiously. "And how is that weird," she inquired.

"Well, it's about the part where some of the towns **don't** want this person's help. Think about it: you're far outside the kingdom where help could be days away. Any help can be pretty valuable but to turn someone **away**? Isn't that weird?"

She had taken some time to mull over his observations, surprisingly sharp as they were. Having grown up outside the kingdom herself, Blake had to admit that towns were often in desperate need of Hunters. Even with the abundance of able bodies, the territories themselves were much too large to cover. The Association itself could be backlogged in the requests put forth seeking professionals which is why most towns turned to the kingdom's respective academies. Blake remembered a time when her small village appealed for someone to take care of their Beowolf problem. Yet the wait itself was too long and the villagers themselves resolved it by holding their grounds. The Blake from five years ago would have blamed it on faunus discrimination but now she saw how thin the Hunters were spread. She could only guess that the towns that turned away prospective help were: one, very self reliant or two, wary of the help itself.

"Very few outside settlements could handle themselves. And if that's the case, the others might turn a person away if he or she is suspicious."

"Bingo," Sun concluded as he tucked his hands behind his head. "Even stranger how people are saying it could be a recruiter of some sort?"

"The White Fang…"

"Mm-hmm. But how many of those extremists go around waving a red sword to match their hair while wearing a long coat. That _has_ to be a stretch of the imagination, right?"

Sun looked over to Blake in hopes of earning another reaction, but halted she had gone quiet. Her brow wrinkled in thought and a sour expression as if remembering something unpleasant. It was meant to be a joke until he connected the dots.

"There's no way you know someone like that."

Blake only crossed her arms and continued forward in silence.

"You DO know someone like that!?"

Sun's outburst drew unnecessary attention from the other students. Blake reached out to pull his ear as quickly away from the others and when deeming it safe, answered him.

"He was my mentor when the White Fang decided to take a more… active approach in seeking equality. He taught me how to defend myself, ways to better utilize my semblance, and the better part of getting in and out of places unseen."

" _He?"_

Blake shot him a serious glare and Sun backed off.

"I was just curious."

"In any case," she began, "Adam was there for me during the Fang's more trying times. For part of my life, he was the closest thing to a friend I had. But we had a difference of opinions... and I chose to leave that life behind."

Sun remained quiet even after Blake finished sharing more about her past. Ever since their first meeting, there was something about the silent beauty he couldn't pull away from. She was reserved, witty and sarcastic. Blake could be distant if she wanted, but he knew she smiled more around her teammates in any given situation. When he escorted Blake to the dance, he found her laughter to be a warm melody that fills his lungs yet left him breathless. Her smile was infectious as he couldn't help but smile along with her. And in moments such as these, Sun felt a small, selfish sense of pride in being one of the few she could open up to. Surely Blake had open up to her team about her past, but being the only _male friend_ (probably) she could also confide in was a plus. Sun Wukong wouldn't openly admit this (even to his partner Neptune) but he was completely infatuated with her.

They stopped just before the headmaster's tower when Blake turned to him.

"Thanks for keeping me company and hearing me out Sun," she said as he smiled. He could feel the warmth in his face build as he saw her eyes regard him with such trust. The pounding of his chest quickened at the mere thought of pulling her just close enough to…

"I'll see you around after we get back, alright?"

Blake turned to enter he building before she was stopped as Sun took her hand.

"If it's not too much trouble," he started, "would you like to go back into the city again after you get back? I mean… there's this book fair coming up and I thought… You know, you and me surrounded by a bunch hard covers?"

Blake watched as he nervously proposed another outing, unusual for the usually sure monkey faunus. The way his eyes averted hers and his tail wagged about nervously spoke volumes of his dedication. Even his hands had a sense of urgency in its affections, firm but gentle in the way it held hers. Blake wasn't opposed to the idea. For the bibliophile, it is the ideal excursion to delve and discover more novels but she was more or less afraid of what it could lead to. She cherished their friendship. She didn't want to string the young man along, especially since… Maybe. Just maybe.

"You? At a book fair?" Blake asked teasingly, squeezing his hand gently.

Sun looked with a wide eyed expression before smirking away his nervousness.

"Pssh, I totally read. Like _all_ the time." Sun flashed his toothy grin but was even more surprised by how close she had gotten to him. He felt her breath on his ear as she pulled on his shirt to lower him to her level.

"I don't think the magazines you're hiding count as reading material," she whispered. Blake pulled away to savor the mortified look on Sun's face. "But I look forward to the date," she finished as she began to walk away.

Even in his stupor, Sun felt like he traded away a lifetime supply of luck for this one chance. Blake Belladonna was looking forward to their _date_ and he vowed to not screw this chance up. But the more pressing matter was **how** did she even know he had… mature reading material? The only person who knew was…

"NEPTUNE!"

* * *

 **{Past: Three Weeks after the Hunter's "death}**

Sibyll pulled down the cloth covering his face as he looked about the scene. Bodies of the Grimm littered about in pieces began to slowly evaporate, but there were no signs of any human remains. Days have gone by and he had yet to find anything substantial on the missing group he volunteered to find.

" _Searching for small game hunters who disappeared into the woods should not have been this difficult,"_ the young hunter thought to himself. Tracking prey is one of the basic forms a hunter hones and the search should have resulted one of two results: survivors or remains. And to find nothing left Sibyll more intrigued than concerned. Even after he considered the worst, hunting the nearby beasts yielded similar results as Sibyll searched through their entrails. Deciding enough time had been spent, he makes his way back to report his "findings."

Nearing the village, the young hunter hears a thunderous, mechanical roar and something large moves overhead. Ducking behind the cover of a tree, Sibyll peers out to see a metal vessel fly off into the distance and away from the town's borders. His exposure to the technological contraptions of this world was minimal but he felt unnerved over their designs: taking to the skies with such speed was unthinkable. After deeming it safe to come out, Sibyll walked to the town's gate as it opened, give a slight nod to the stationed guards. They merely looked at him before returning their eyes to the tree lines.

"Once a stranger, always a stranger," Sibyll said to himself as he walked up the winding road. The rest of the village went about their business: setting up their shops, tending to their homes and gardens, or delivering goods throughout the towns. They almost appeared to be without care, going about their lives as if there were no beasts threatening them. It was a scene of simple folk living an idyllic life. Sibyll took note of how note how some made their way around him or ignored his presence entirely, something the hunter couldn't fault them for.

The town's main hall was in sight but Sibyll heard a collection of footsteps stop before him. His eyes looked downward to see a collection of children clustered together and watching him nervously… or excitedly? There was a gleam in some of their eyes, regarding him as an exotic creature from outside their small world.

"Is it true?" one of the braver boys asked, the nub of his antlers just peeking out from his head of hair.

Sibyll tilted his head to the side. "Is what true?"

"That you beheaded a monster with your stick!?" a girl from the back shouted and pointed to his cane.

" _Ah, the beast from a week ago,"_ Sibyll thought. _"But how do they—"_

"Chisa told us you did. Well, she told the other girls but all the other kids know now," the brave boy spoke up. At the mention of the young girl, the group parted to reveal her in the middle. Chisa held a woven basket close to her and looked towards the ground, ears flattened against her head. She would glance up to look at Sibyll only to quickly avert her eyes, feeling guilty for sharing something she probably shouldn't.

"Is this true young one?"

Chisa nodded her head but continued to avoid meeting his eyes. Sibyll raised a brow at her confirmation, puzzled as to why she would continue to feel bad. He found no reason to be mad with her but she certainly reacted as if he were. Strange are the natures of children.

"Well, she has spoken true to her claims," he admitted. The children murmured among themselves as excitement and curiosity escalated. Only the boy remained unconvinced within the small crowd.

"Prove it."

The boy crossed his arms and smirked. _"There's no way this guy could've done it,"_ he thought to himself as he met the hunter's eyes. Sibyll returned the gaze passively before motioning for Chisa to approach. The young girl walked tentatively to the hunter as he bent down to meet her.

"May I?" he asks and Chisa nodded. Sibyll reached into her basket, taking with him an apple before moving a ways off from them. The children grew silent as they watched Sibyll test the fruit's weight, turning it about in his hand before tossing it high in the air. Their eyes followed the thrown fruit only to see it split in halves and then quarters. A silvery metal flourished in the air like a whip and disappeared as the fruits came back down into the hunter's hands. The children tried to follow the snake like object but only found Sibyll resting on his cane as it interlocked into place.

Sibyll began to eat whatever remained of the apple as the children began to swarm him. They gave him words of praise and adoration, commenting over how cool he had been and asking questions about him. Sibyll had even won over the brave boy that doubted him, his cheering melding with the others. But the young hunter felt other eyes on him. The adults from the corner of his eyes stopped to watch, judging grimly at his display.

" _I should have known better,"_ Sibyll thought as he excused himself from the children. Chisa immediately took his hand and led him away from the other kids, much to their protest.

"Thank you young one" Chisa nodded at his thanks and both made their way toward the town hall. Whispers were beginning to spread and Sibyll felt a reassuring squeeze from the young girl's hands. As the building came into full view, he noticed that Cormack was in a current conversation with four others. Sibyll was able to pick up snippets of their conversation as they approached.

"We apologize for our late arrival. Ever since the breach within the kingdom, Beacon's hands have been tied with clean up and security," the young woman with a beret spoke.

"It's quite alright," Cormack replied. "We were able to find someone to get a head start in your stead."

"Another Hunter?" the woman with large, brown rabbit ears asked.

"Mm-hmm! Very dependable lad, though he's a bit of the old fashioned sort."

"Does he happen to look how we described?" The towering form of a man clad in green inquired. Cormack raised his brow and looked passed them to find Sibyll and Chisa in their arrival.

"Well, if you want to make sure… why not ask him yourself?"

The four individuals turned as Sibyll and Chisa came to a stop. Each one of their reactions spoke a great deal of surprise and caution.

"Sibyll, this is here is Team CFVY (Coffee). They're assigned to help search for our missing neighbors," Cormack said as he gestured to the group.

The woman with the beret stepped forward, donning a charming smile.

"Name's Coco Adel. This here is my partner Fox, and those two over there are Velvet and Yatsuhashi," Coco said as she pointed to her respective members.

The one named Fox shown his scars and Sibyll studied how they trailed down his arms and face. Garbed in colors of dark orange and black, Sibyll also noted the bladed gauntlets equipped to his arms: large and outwardly curved, the weapon itself seemed intricately designed. The smell about him was synonymous to Coco, reminiscent of the dust Ruby had once brought him. With another glance to his pouch and belt, Sibyll found casings of loaded rounds secured tightly and assumed both worked in conjunction. The man's milky white eyes appeared to see nothing, but Sibyll noticed how he would occasionally tilt his head at any source of sound. His dark colored skin and bright copper hair gave him an exotic look, a feral warrior no doubt tamed by his leader.

Yatsuhashi, as he was introduced, stood tall over the young hunter. The style of his clothing was foreign to Sibyll, lacking any sense of armor with the exception of the guard on the man's left shoulder. A hilt of a great blade peaked over his right shoulder and his eyes remained passive as he watched Sibyll. A large build spoke of untold strength and the young hunter was surprised to find a warrior so large, and surprisingly young.

The leader, Coco, appeared to dress in a style Sibyll was accustomed to. She too seemed to not wear any armor and instead opted to look more… appealing? Sibyll found himself at a loss for words as she tilted her darkened glasses downward, watching him over the rim. Her grin held a challenge and mysterious box secured at her waist had something to do with the bandoleer belt she wore. Unarguably beautiful, Coco held an air of confidence around her and something else… Sibyll felt a foreign chill under her gaze, but not one of being prey. But the itching anticipation to best her called to him. Even stranger was how Sibyll felt her gaze to be commanding… and the unusual want to be as defiant as possible.

The final member of the group, Velvet, appeared to be struggling to maintain composure. Her ears twitched with apparent nervousness, hand held tightly together in an attempt to stop their trembling, and her posture made her seem the smallest in the group. Like Chisa, she avoided making eye contact and shifted in her spot. Sibyll wasn't sure if the woman was naturally this timid but she certainly made herself out to be, for lack of a better term, prey. Such defenselessness, the tenderness in her frightened hands, and the way her brow creased with worry all spoke deception to her true worth. Her figure was lean but being agile had its strengths. Her toned legs meant she was fast and preferred an offensive tactic which involved the strength of her legs than her arm. And Velvet's eyes were sharp, albeit terrified. They way they darted about subtly meant she was considering options of escape or gaining the tactical upper hand.

Sibyll looked over the team and concluded by their collective tenseness (primarily Velvet's), they were sent with a secondary objective. And by how Velvet's apparent nervousness couldn't be hid, the young hunter knew it had something to do with him. If they were meant to take him back, Sibyll decided it would be best to leave by nightfall. Returning to confinement would only be detrimental to his work and he wouldn't fight them here or near the town.

" _Best to remain on guard,"_ he thought as he gave them a cordial bow.

"Were you able to find anything?" Cormack asked, hoping a week's head start would have helped. Sibyll shook his head but returned to look at Team CFVY.

"My search has been unsuccessful, but I will share what I can. Perhaps over lunch?"

Sibyll gestured to Chisa who had chosen to hide behind him in the presence of the new faces.

"The young one went through a great deal of effort to prepare it and I would not think to let the fruit of her labors go unnoticed. Right, milady?" Sibyll felt a slap at his thigh as Chisa buried her face deeper into his body, red with embarrassment.

"Of course, I'm sure we could all break for lunch," Coco said as he gestured to the main hall. Cormack led the group, as Sibyll and the two men followed suit leaving Coco and Velvet behind. When they were a safe distance away, Coco dropped her smile and proceeded to rub her brow.

"Could you have been anymore obvious Vel?"

"I'm sorry Coco," Velvet responded. "It's just that…he's dangerous."

"We've seen the footage."

"But you didn't feel his presence like I did."

Coco paused before turning to her teammate.

"His presence? But the reports said that his aura is still locked. Only those with a strong manipulation of their soul could exude such prominent displays."

"I don't think it has anything to do with aura Coco," Velvet said as she watched the retreated back of Sibyll's grey overcoat. "But it feels as if there's more to it than that."

Coco gave her a confused look before Velvet continued.

"Do you remember when I unlocked Fox's aura in our first year? We didn't know he suffered a great deal of pain until he opened up to us about it. But even before then, I knew something was wrong: his soul seemed heavy, burdened by his past. I felt the same thing with that person except…"

Velvet looked down at the ground, remembering the presence invading her body as Sibyll looked at each of them. When his eyes fell on her, she felt her breath leave her lungs as fear filled her. She couldn't stop her trembling, her body screaming for her to escape or fight back. When she tried to look at him, his eyes felt thirsty… Like a predator eyeing vulnerable prey, but lying in wait in hopes for the opportune moment. Velvet couldn't tell if it was intentional as he seemed friendly enough with the children of the town. There was a careful way he moved about, always calculating and tentative. But was that his true nature?

"I felt that his soul was torn in pieces, and whatever caused it made him…violent."

* * *

 **A/N: And there we have it. Issues have been sorted out for now and Team CFVY has taken the lead in the race to catch up with Sibyll. Hopefully this chapters eased your worries or concerns as I did not forget that Sibyll had residual memories from not only Ozpin, but Qrow as well. And I hope to answer a few questions or ideas you all have put forth:  
**

 **While dying in the Hunter's Dream wouldn't make sense lore-wise, it's totally possible game-wise. I was tinkering with the blood gem modification for the weapons in game (to gain some inspiration) and completely forgot I had equipped my character with a cursed gem: one that buffs your attacks at the cost of -8 HP per second. It surely shouldn't have been that bad but I kept trying out combinations to gain better damage output when suddenly BAM! Character keels over because his weapons literally drained him of all life. And I sat there feeling awkward, because I also had the same question: if you died in the Hunter's Dream, what happens?**

 **As for the "Bad" and "True" endings of Bloodborne, I made it that Sibyll was unaware of such options because who would really have that much foresight? Consider Sibyll's trek through Yharnam as his "first playthrough." And although he picked up information about the Umbilical Cords, I made it that Sibyll chose not to investigate further simply because he didn't understand the words of mad men. Also, remember how in the Abandon workshop you would actually find a Third Umbilical Cord? I wrote it out of Sibyll's findings because the Cords itself would have a larger role to play later on in the story.**

 **I promise not to make Sibyll a bloodthirsty Hunter, but I also promise not to let this story forget its roots in madness and violence.**

 **As for the parallels and Beckoning Bell observations... You'll find out eventually. Until next time.**


	8. Dining with Prey

**A/N: And here is yet another chapter. Really though, over thirty pages on Word were the results and I find myself partly-proud and partly-concerned. I just wonder if this particular chapter is too slow or excessive in details but nonetheless here it is. Please let know in your reviews and as I find every single one of them encouraging and necessary for self improvement.**

* * *

All of Team RWBY stood silently as the audio recording played out:

" _This is Coco Adel, leader of Team CFVY requesting for additional supply drop and team support. Conditions in Addersfield are beginning to escalate, advising for a possible Code Foxtrot-Bravo-Romeo: one hundred-fifty plus citizens to be evacuated to the kingdom or nearby towns. Increase in Grimm activity and confirmed visual signs of increased behavioral aggression. They're peppering the town but that's NOT, I repeat, NOT the main concern."_

All four girls looked at each other questioningly before turning to their headmaster. Ozpin's face hid behind his folded hands as he continued to analyze the recording:

" _Something… Something_ _ **out there**_ _is_ _agitating the Grimm and they're flocking past the town's walls. A few have taken advantage of the situation to attack but defenses are maintained. I'm not sure what the textbook term for Grimm fleeing would be but we're seeing the larger of the creatures running too. Alphas, Ursa Majors, hell, we even saw an Emperor Deathstalker in their ranks passing by. Whatever it is, it is literally scaring the shit out of the Grimm here."_

Qrow thought over the possible creatures that could have instigated such a stampede. Very few Grimm could hold such power but none were native to the forests near Vale, nor were they old enough to be considered deadly among their own. Goodwitch sent a quick message to Port, asking for personal references on the matter and was quick to receive a reply. The same results returned.

" _The citizens are becoming restless and control over the situation is becoming more strained. We can only spread our numbers so thin and even then the town's guards can only do so much. We're requesting a supply drop to help bolster out defenses but we'll need someone to—"_

" _Coco!"_

All of team RWBY jolted at the sound of Velvet's distressed voice.

" _Another wave is on its way and they're big enough to cause serious damage to the town's walls. He'll needs us to thin them out as he herds them away but we can't keep them at bay for long."_

" _And what of Yatsu and Fox?"_

" _They're out there alongside him but wearing down fast."_

" _Shit! Velvet, I need you to cover their retreat back to the walls and when the boys are safe, I'll have you act as my wall. Don't let them near me as I cover the front of the town."_

" _And what about Sibyll?"_

"… _He can handle himself."_

Everyone heard the unease in the leader's pause before she returned to the transmitter.

" _Sorry Ozpin…I know we had our orders but he found us upon arrival. He seems docile enough but we'll keep an eye on him, over and out."_

The message cuts out and signals its end. Ruby can already tell the mounting frustration Qrow had by his creased brow, but her own thoughts took precedence. Sibyll was still alive, even when Ruby fired at his vital organs. A portion of her nightmare came true and if he was left unattended… she couldn't be sure of his next move.

The rest of the team watched as Ruby's posture grew tense, concerned about the young leader who struggled with "killing" the now alive hunter. They saw her hands ball into fists clenched tightly before she looked up and addressed their headmaster.

"What would you have us do headmaster?"

Any sense of hesitation or guilt evaporated with renewed determination. Sibyll may have been her friend before (even if she still questioned it), but Ruby had to be a Huntress first and foremost. Her duty was to the people and everything else could be sorted if time permitted. Ozpin nodded to her and her team before pulling up a holographic map.

"You'll leave for Addersfield today with a supply cache in your care. While the transmission was received three days ago, I am sure Team CFVY will rendezvous with you and bring you up to date. The town itself is about five hours worth of travel but should the situation grow dire, we'll send reinforcements as fast as we can."

"And what are our parameters?" Ruby asked. The young girl thought it best to be as thorough as possible. Ozpin studied her before issuing more orders.

"You four are to primarily support Miss Adel and her teammates until the issue is resolved. They will act as the commanding team for the entirety of the mission and you will follow their lead to the letter. In regards to Sibyll," Ozpin noticed as Ruby tensed at the mention of his name, "try to be as inconspicuous as possible with your interactions. We can't have him know you're also there to apprehend them."

"You want us to catch him?" Weiss asked, unsure as to why their headmaster would leave the arrest to two teams.

"That is correct Miss Schnee."

The heiress crossed her arms, her gaze evening with Ozpin's.

"I don't mean to sound defiant headmaster, but what makes you think our team is qualified for this mission? Surely there are more experienced teams from the third or fourth years?" It was a fair question to ask when Weiss felt the mission would affect her partner more than it should. She took a quick glance at her partner and saw how serious she had become: serious, yet cold and detached.

Ozpin studied the uncharacteristically outspoken heiress as he pulled up the recording of Sibyll's "death." The rest of Team RWBY hadn't seen what happened themselves, and never expected for the headmaster to show them. The stranger's duel with the headmaster had been surprising, believing the enigmatic Ozpin to literally be untouchable. There were rumors about his involvement with the wars but they remained just that: rumors. And to see Sibyll be on par with him as well as Qrow was unbelievable.

But to watch their young leader empty a full magazine into a person was truly the most unsettling. A body shaking upon each impact, the blood, the violent scene of the arena had all been dwarfed by how frantic Ruby had looked then. Her tear stained face strained with each pull of the trigger and when the man's body fell, they watched Ruby as she wept. They were intruding on something private which was now exposed to them.

Ruby looked away from the footage, never needing to be reminded of what happened that day.

And even worse was how Weiss, Yang, and Blake finally saw how Sibyll fought: violently aggressive yet elusive when necessary. His injuries healing from inflicting wounds on others was simply a barbaric concept. But it had **worked** for the stranger. He was like a feral animal fueled by the fight to win, to kill.

"Why are you showing this to us?" Yang asked darkly. Her anger did not go unnoticed as her hair began to glow, temperature in the room rising just slightly. But the adults remained unnerved as Ozpin zoomed in on Sibyll's pained expression.

"Aside from the fact that you are the highest ranked team in your year, your leader still has some sway with him. Whatever caused him to lose control, Miss Rose was able to draw him back to his senses. She is the only with enough contact with him to not cause him to run or become violent. He's alone and more likely to listen to a familiar face than a stranger's."

Ozpin reached for his mug and took a sip of his drink before returning to the girls.

"Had I sent teams from another year, there is a likelihood of provoking him beyond control. We _need_ someone he knows and possibly still trusts. And hopefully, we can bring him into custody before innocents are involved."

The girls looked among themselves sorting out the mission and its parameters.

Yang didn't like the idea of her sister being used as a means to an end. Especially when the person in question was someone she didn't trust. She had been thankful for his sacrifice but now she questioned his true nature after seeing his viciousness herself. She decided to keep close to Ruby in the event this "Sibyll" tried anything with her sister. Just like with Raven, Yang couldn't trust the words he had shared with her sister and would keep him within her sights.

Weiss couldn't understand how one could be so… violent in a fight. Granted, her experiences in battle were solely with the Grimm and in practiced duels. Yet to see to people fight in such a manner where one's life may end was unsettling. Both Ruby's uncle and this stranger lost the vestiges of their humanity during the fight, opting to a bloody approach. They way the danced about the arena, trading blows and spilling blood… Weiss knew that becoming a Huntress would mean the occasional skirmish with another person but this was too much.

Blake remembered the days she trained under Adam and how the lessons seemed synonymous to Qrow's fight. He had been as equally cruel, but it taught Blake between a desperate fight and one where she could take the upper hand. She _was_ being prepared to fight against those who threatened her and her people. All those bruises and cuts she earned under his tutelage made her efficient at fighting, but even she wouldn't allow her blade to be stained with the life of another. Even if the people she once fought against despised her kind, taking their lives wouldn't bring her people the peace they needed.

"We'll do our best headmaster," Ruby said before turning to leave. The rest followed her to the returning the elevator carriage.

"Ruby," Ozpin calls out. The young girl stops but makes no movement to look back at her headmaster.

"We trust you will make the right decision, whichever it may be."

Ruby found herself puzzled at the headmaster's parting words. Did he trust her to catch Sibyll or… something else? She shook her head, saving the thought for the trip, and turned back to give him a confident smile.

"We won't let you down professor."

All four girls entered the escalator and the door closed behind them.

"Does the General know you're sending them?" Qrow asked.

Ozpin swiveled in his chair to face the window.

"He does but he doesn't agree with my approach to the situation. James proposed we send some of Atlas' uniformed men to deal with the situation but we risk losing Sibyll in the process. Our 'friend' already feels antagonized by James' presence and would be disinclined to return even at gun point. Add in the political clean up of a visiting kingdom dealing with Vale's dilemma would only incite more trouble. We can't afford to lose Sibyll while we have the chance, but we also cannot risk looking weak to the public. If anything, such a blunder would work in favor for our enemies in the shadow."

"I take it Ironwood didn't appreciate being benched on this one."

"It would certainly explain why he is not of attendance for this meeting, Qrow."

Qrow shrugged and looked over at Goodwitch whose brow creased with frustration.

"In any case, I have a separate assignment for you," Ozpin said as he brought up a holographic map of Vale. "I need you to search through the city for any residual trace of the White Fang. Their presence has been scarce ever since the breach and it could mean trouble for the citizens. Find what you can and report back in."

Qrow lifted the black hood of his coat over his head, obscuring his face in shadow.

"Understood."

* * *

He moved from branch to branch, keeping away from the forest's floor. Adam had traveled like this for some time, resting only when necessary and keeping out of the Grimm's attention. The rushing air around him foretold an urgency to reach the village in time to make contact. He could've used a bullhead to travel the distance, but the kingdom of Vale had tightened air security since the breach. Even with an unmarked airship, Adam would risk being flagged for "routine" identification checks, courtesy of Atlas' authority. His only grace had been how "close" the town of Addersfield was from their underground outpost.

The scene of emerald and crimson trees was a nice change of pace from the underground facilities and bases. Even as the air rushed around him, Adam found the open terrain refreshing; a much needed break to stretch out his limbs.

" _You'd think a captain of the White Fang would see more action on the front lines,"_ he thought to himself as he traversed the forest canopy. Adam never thought he'd rise through the ranks so quickly as he had and to progressively see less action. He had been put to more work as an initiate and grunt when he started out but now… It was always meetings, speeches, body guard duty, reports—so many damn reports—from outposts or requisitions. And whenever they _did_ need him on the field, the missions seemed so arbitrary. Especially since he had been ordered underground to oversee some glorified excavation, Adam found himself missing the battles.

At least he made a statement when he robbed the Schnee's from their spread of blood stained enterprise, protecting his people within the walls, and cutting out the corrupt and cruel. Adam would have sworn a lifetime of servitude to his people if it meant they were making actual progress. He couldn't trust the words of some sultry seductress. Through all her charm and allure, Adam felt there was more to her proposition than Cinder let on. Cinder walking with an air of confidence, despite having nothing, was bold, especially when she first requested the services of the White Fang.

" _Depending on her may come back to bite us,"_ he thought as he came to rest. He looked about the scene before hearing a subtle rumbling from the forest. Adam's eyes darted around the floor below, keeping an ear out the thunderous noise. It was approaching at a rapid rate and he saw the first of the Grimm hurry past him. Beowolves, Ursai, Ratheons, and juvenile Deathstalkers herded in one collective direction.

" _The hell is going on?"_ Adam thought as he observed the uncharacteristic sight. Grimm **never** congregated or interacted with one another unless they fought for territory. But here they were moving in one direction… evasive maneuvers as if pursued by a predator?

It was then he heard it, an unsettling howl filling the air some distance away. Its sound rang out throughout his body, a fear piercing his very soul. The very noise felt wholly unnatural, guttural cries as if in pain or fury. Trees splintered off in the distance, giving birth to something huge, and Adam made his way to the highest point to survey the oncoming threat. He saw the leaves shake violently in the creature's approach, even after the Grimm had fled. Heavy footfalls followed and Adam hoped whatever _it_ was would pass as well. Silence fell as the creature came to a stop right beneath him. He could hear the labored breathing and inquisitive sniffing, lungs of unnatural size telling of a great beast. And before Adam could assess what was happening, he felt the tree give way under him.

"Damn it!"

Adam leapt to the safety of another tree only for it to be give way as well. Sensing that his cover was blown, Adam fled from treetop to treetop as the creature below gave chase. He did his beast to gain distance by fleeing into the denser parts of the forest but whatever was chasing him was persistent. There would be a brief pause in the chase as it struggled to force itself through the trees but Adam knew he couldn't keep it up. He could only traverse the forest in such a manner before growing tired and the faunus had been travelling for days.

" _There has to be a place I can hide,"_ were his thoughts as the trees began to thin out towards a clearing. It would only be a matter of time before the creature would catch him and Adam found himself unsure to defend himself against whatever it could be. His eyes searched quickly and found a collection of heavy boulders at the opposite end of the clearing. They looked sturdy enough to be unmoved and there was space in between for him to slip into.

Adam allowed himself to descend onto the forest floor and broke into a run as the trees fell behind him. He heard a predatory roar as the creature behind him gained speed. His aura flared and Adam ducked instinctively, just missing a swipe aimed at his head. The claws resembled a Beowolf but more…gnarled. Adam could also noticed the scent of something festering, like wounds left to rot. He dodged another attack, jump this time and allowed himself to turn midair to face the creature.

It was an Alpha Beowolf but Adam knew this one differed from the rest of its kind. The creature looked mangier from they way its wounds congealed over and the filth of its slicked fur. Its size presented a problem as the Alpha seemed much larger than the standard, the bony face plate cracked. The Alpha's fangs were stained and bared, salivating with a potential prey and its movements were fast. Adam was able to quickly draw his weapon, using Wilt to slash another incoming claw away from him and firing Blush directly into the Alpha's face.

The round landed with an explosive hit, staggering the beast and allowing Adam the time needed to cross the distance. He heard another howl and the now frantic steps following him as he threw himself between the boulders. By a hair's breadth, a slashing claw missed him and tore at the rock instead. Adam's body crashed against the hard surface as he heard claws and teeth rake against the stone, the Alpha's snarl reverberating within his chest. Adam aimed with Blush, hoping to end the beast there until he felt someone grab him and pull away.

"That won't work! We have to leave now!" a woman's voice called as she dragged him further within he recesses of the rock. Adam kept his eyes on the beast as it struggled to reach them between the boulders. When they were a safe distance away, he turned to find himself being pulled along by a woman garbed in a brown leather outfit: a boy and quiver strung to her back. Even in the darkness she saw her shoulder length here bob and wave as they hurried, into the depths of the tunnel.

The pair came to a stop once the noise disappeared and the woman let go of Adam's hand, resting them on her knees as she tried to catch her haggard breath. Adam continued to observe the woman; her clothes dirtied with nature and saw her right forearm bandaged hastily. It had dark crimson color and his attention was drawn back to her when questioned him.

"What were you doing out there by your self?" she asked.

"I could ask you the same thing," Adam countered. The woman scoffed and allowed herself to rest against the tunnel's walls. "Did that thing do that to you?" Adam motioned to her arm. She looked were he pointed and shook her head, a grim expression forming on her face.

"No… that was someone else." The woman cover the wound with her other hand, hoping to hide it from his prying eyes. Her face was heart-shaped, tanned by many seasons and carrying slight scars. Horns curled at the sides of her head, akin to a ram and Adam saw a look of defiance in her eyes. There was blood on her clothes but whether it was another's or her, he did not know.

"Someone?" Adam knew of the occasional renegade or bandit outside the kingdom's walls but if there were two threats out there…

"Yeah… He was from our hunting group. Four of us set out for the weekly hunt when that _thing_ attacked us. Takeda tried to lure it away as we escaped but it was too damn fast. It's been pushing us away from Addersfield and three of us have been stuck here when he didn't return. We tried to wait it out, rationing off what we had until there was nothing."

The woman brought her knees up close to herself, hugging them tightly.

"Marko thought it was best to try and seek help under the cover of night alone. I mean, he _was_ always the lead hunter in these expeditions and he was always the stealthiest. But then he came back wounded, having never gotten far. Silva tried her best to dress his wounds but infection set in with a fever. We didn't anticipate something like this happening. Our best bet of saving him was trying to apply medicinal herbs to stave off the infection and lower his fever until we could move him."

Her eyes shut, threatening to spill tears.

"I found what was left of her when Marko's fever got worse. And when I came back here, he was in a state of delirium: thrashing about and never letting me treat his wounds. That was when he bit me… He couldn't have meant it but damn, does it still hurt."

Adam stood in the darkness and silence. He was at an advantage in finding someone local to the town but her current state would make travel difficult. Even if he were to carry her, they could be pursued at any given moment.

"Are there any other ways out?" he asked. The woman nodded and Adam helped her up.

"It took me a while but there's a path underground leading to another exit. We didn't think to explore before because we risked getting lost. But as it stands now, we don't have much of a choice."

"And Marko?" Adam asked.

"He's there too."

The duo traveled deeper underground, careful of their footing in the non-hindering darkness. Time passed and Adam could tell the woman was struggling to keep her pace up, steps becoming slow and strenuous, but remained silent. He would be able to provide more help in getting her back to the village for proper treatment, provided if they were able to make it. Further and further they traversed, before the two saw a glint of daylight ahead.

"Watch your step," the woman warned as she carefully stepped over the obstruction. Before Adam could follow suit, his eyes caught the crumpled form of a body dressed in a similar fashion. His limbs appeared much to long to fit his clothes, as if he had outgrown it yet even then… there was something unnatural to it. Elongated fingers and nails connected to long arms with noticeable patches of fur. And to finalize the gruesome scene, the body lacked a head: something caving into the cranial cavity with brute force and left a pulpy mess. Adam's eye's searched and found a sizeable rock some distance away from the body, caked with blood.

"I take it Marko won't be joining us?" Adam asked. The woman stopped in her tracks and turned to him, a hand nursing her wound.

"There was nothing I could do," she admitted. "Something was wrong with him and if I didn't defend myself…"

The woman's words drifted into silence and Adam simply nodded. He took the lead position as they neared the exit, looking out cautiously before signaling for the woman to follow. Both traversed the forest in silence, keeping a careful ear out from the Alpha or other nearby Grimm.

"What's a person from the White Fang doing so far outside the kingdom?" the woman suddenly asked. Behind his mask, Adam arched his brow over her question. He knew the organization had become infamous with its new approach and the symbolism behind their masks. To know that the word of their cause reached far outside the walls was surprising to him.

"I'm looking for someone," he replied.

"Aren't you all?"

Adam frowned at her response, used to the criticism and disapproval from his kind. She continued onward, refusing to spare a secondary glance to his direction before she spoke again.

"Tell me, do you know _**all**_ the names of the children you recruit?"

"How does that have anything to do with—"

"Answer the question coward."

The swordsman grits his teeth, reigning in his anger. Adam Taurus a coward? He'd been fighting for a long as he could remember. He endured the schoolyard bullies, the prejudiced public, and the cruel and unjust system of false promise. He openly fought against those who openly harmed his people before he became anyone. They only acknowledged them because force was a language everyone understood and _it worked._ He never had to hide who he was and the mask was a testament to that: becoming the beast if that's what it took to stand as equals. He was no coward, even if the woman never understood him.

"No," he answered truthfully.

How could he? There were too many brothers and sisters to know personally within the White Fang. An extent of camaraderie was shared among the recruits and Adam made the effort to meet with as many as he could. But his position put him at a distance from the rest, going wherever he was needed and the recruits were left to their own objectives. Everyone had their part and names were secondary at best.

"Exactly," she muttered, watching her footing on the downward slope.

"And what would **you** know of our cause?"

She turned on her heel to stare him down, anger burning in her eyes.

"That it was a mistake for my sister to join your people."

The woman jabbed a finger at Adam's chest.

"And to think you would have the gall to send someone back to let us know she died in vain. All those words of valor, all those promises mean **nothing** to those who never see them again."

Her face was flushed with anger, eyes brimming with a pained fury. Before she could go on, Adam noticed her eyes dilating and her form losing its balance. The woman fell forward against him and Adam caught her, finding her conditioned worsened as her body burned with a fever. He heard her breath becoming more spastic and she began to sweat profusely. Checking her pulse, Adam found it at a quickened pace the woman didn't respond when he called out to her.

"Damn it," he muttered to himself as he hoisted her unconscious body over his shoulder. He didn't know how far they were from the town, but they couldn't remain any longer. Adam allowed his aura to surge out and envelope the woman, hoping to keep her table but he struggled. There was a difficulty in extending one's aura to another whose soul remained locked. Adam continued to pump his aura into her body and traveled at a hurried pace. He knew he couldn't fight the Alpha with the woman in her condition, and if her story had any merit the beast wouldn't hesitate to go after her in their fight.

A twig snapped nearby and Adam drew his sword instinctively.

" _Damn it, we're not alone!"_ his thoughts raged. As he assessed the situation, Adam found his choices very limited in what he could do; all of them including the divide of abandoning the woman or staying his ground to defend her. Adam couldn't expanded his aura further into the surrounding area as it was used to stabilized the woman in his care. He couldn't sense the thing stalking him and the weight would hold him back in a fight; the woman could be used as leverage against him. Like the Alpha, how would he know the unknown in the woods wouldn't go for her instead?

Adam never enjoyed the idea of gambling as the concept depended heavily on complete luck or complete control, and the White Fang captain had neither. Too many unnecessary risks were unaccounted for but he knew he was backed into a corner. He could try to escape but his chances were _very_ slim. Something rustled underfoot and Adam looked about still finding nothing. He couldn't pinpoint the noise and the swordsman knew he was being hunted.

So Adam Taurus gambled, having the chips fall where they may.

He drew Wilt from its sheath and stepped forward slowly.

* * *

Ruby looked out the window below, watching the trees pass beneath them. It was a familiar scene from what felt like forever ago, only that the trees were a mixture of emerald and crimson. Yang had taken to making conversation with Blake, the subject of which the young reaper couldn't grasp.

" _I don't get it,"_ Ruby thought to herself as she picked up bits and pieces. _"What could Blake know about Sun that would make him bothered like that?"_ She spared a glance over at her sister and her partner, sharing knowing looks and grins. Ruby internally shrugged as she looked back out the window, allowing her thoughts to return to the subject at hand.

"Sibyll," she says under her breath.

Ruby still couldn't believe he was alive. After everything that happened, everything she did, he continued to persevere. She wasn't sure whether to feel glad or conflicted over his well being. Was he still her friend? Or was he to be treated as her enemy? The young reaper's hands folded together over the idea of having to subdue him. She was confident in Ozpin's office and in front of her uncle, but her feelings remained in discord. Ruby was afraid of having to fight him to the extent her uncle had and doubted she ever could.

"I have to try…"

"Try what?"

Ruby jumped in her seat as Weiss spoke up next to her. She turned to find the heiress' icy blue eyes watching her curiously and wearing a neutral expression. Ruby ran her hand through her hair and smiled sheepishly at her partner.

"Oh you know, try to sleep before we get there?"

She never meant to pose her answer as a question, but Ruby knew she was a terrible at the art of lying. The young reaper was practically an open book that anyone could read, with the exception of Jaune whose oblivious nature was still in debate. Weiss, on the other hand, crossed her arms at the young girl's response as her gaze sharpened.

"Oh really? Right when we're about to arrive?"

Ruby did her best to smile at her partner without shrinking into the seats before Weiss relented with a sigh.

"What's _really_ on your mind Ruby?"

Weiss placed a reassuring hand on her partner, hoping the message was received. Ruby allowed her smile to drop before allowing herself to lean against Weiss.

"It's about Sibyll… and what to do with him." Ruby savored the warmth from her partner's hand. Weiss remained quiet, allowing Ruby a moment to sort out her feelings. The heiress felt her partner squeeze her hand in return, seeking comfort in her confused state. Weiss leaned against Ruby as well, urging her to continue.

"I don't want to fight him," Ruby finally admitted. "The idea of having to fight him like my uncle did scares me Weiss. I want to believe there's some misunderstanding but what if there isn't any? What Sibyll really is our enemy?"

"Then we fight him," Weiss stated simply. Ruby looked at her with disbelief over the simplicity of her answer.

"If we can't talk him into coming quietly, he doesn't give us much choice. _So~_ ," Weiss nudged her partner, "all you need to do is convince him. If Ozpin is correct, this Sibyll character seems to place his trust in you. Use it to your advantage to avoid an unnecessary fight."

Ruby was about to argue back when she thought back on the headmaster's words. Despite their mission constraints, Ruby had been given some room to handle Sibyll in a way she saw fit. She _could_ force Sibyll into submission, but after watching his fight with Ozpin and Qrow, she wasn't sure if she could pull it off. Even with Team CFVY's help, Ruby felt Sibyll could easily outclass them and may react violently. But Ozpin and Weiss trusted in her ability to maybe talk him down.

"We have arrived, prepare for landing," the pilot of the bullhead spoke as they began their descent into the town's clearing.

All four girls prepared their belongings as the ship touched down on solid ground, Ruby leading them out a side door. Representatives from the town had come to greet them and helped carry the heavy cache containing spare dust and ammo, as well as rations and medical supplies. Ruby acted as her team's envoy (being team captain) and they were given a brief tour of the town before meeting the with town's council at the main hall. Team RWBY had been more or less brought up to speed and after the registration and verification, they were left to their own devices in completing their mission.

"We should find Coco and see what she'll have us do," Ruby said as she led them out of the main building. They were guided by the townsfolk in the direction of the other team but the girls couldn't help but notice their apparent tenseness in their arrival. While a few had been cordial and friendly, others have been wary and kept mostly of their way. Further inspection lead Ruby, Yang, and Blake to figure out they townsfolk were staring primarily at Weiss.

"I take it that a Schnee this far out of the kingdom has them on additional edge," Blake commented. The heiress flipped her hair nonchalantly, shrugging off the stares from the town's citizens.

"Let them worry over what they will, so long as they don't impede our work," Weiss spoke.

"Well _someone's_ particularly **icy** today," Yang added, earning a stern glare from the heiress. Ruby gave her a partner a reassuring nudge and the team made their way to a makeshift base of operations. Overlooking the table and the laid out map of the land was Coco, making notes and moving representative pieces about. She paused in her work when she heard Ruby and hear team approached, giving them a warm smile.

"It's good to see you girls," Coco said as she stuck out a hand to shake theirs. "It's been a hell of a week and a half but I feel much better knowing we've got support." After exchanging pleasantries, Coco gave the team a run down of what as been happening to the town of Addersfield.

"And _here_ is where we were able to track the origin of the disturbance," Coco said pointing to an area south of the town. "We sent scouts to survey the area but we haven't been able to find whatever is riling up the Grimm. Only that it's big and has a habit of making a mess of the surrounding area."

"So what species do you think we're dealing with?" Ruby asked.

"We think it may be a Beowolf? It's the only type that matches the markings left behind." Coco proceeded to show them the images of the aftermath, and comparing the claw marks to a textbook example: a complete match, if abnormally large. Both Ruby and Blake felt a forbidding sensation when studying the splintered remains, reminded of the Alpha they encountered in Forever Fall forest.

" _It couldn't be the same one, right?"_ Ruby thought to herself and gave a worried look to Blake. The faunus could only shrug her shoulders as Blake herself was unsure. They were never able to confirm if the Alpha had been killed by the fall and the rest of them simply assumed. But with the evidence before them, Blake didn't like the idea of coincidence.

"Who's out on the field right now?" Weiss asked as she noticed two ammo cartridges positioned south of the map.

"That would be Velvet and Sibyll. While we're primarily looking for the source of the Grimm's disturbance, we're keeping an eye out for a group of small game hunters that have gone missing." Coco took of her beret, running her gloved hands through her short hair.

Ruby held her breath at the mention of his name and didn't go unnoticed by the rest of the group. Coco had been filled in as to why Ruby's team had been selected, but she couldn't wholly agree with the plan. The time spent in his presence has been normal at best but she and her team knew he was watching them as well. There was a way in which he would look at them, silently studying their formation and teamwork as if to exploit it. But overall, nothing had transpired. Coco even believed he would try to leave under the cover of night and she would give chase with her team. But he hadn't and instead continued to aid in their efforts when the Grimm began to rush past the town.

"It's been weeks," she added, "and usually after seventy-two hours, we have to presume they're permanently missing or worse. And _that_ doesn't ease the townsfolk's conscience."

Coco looked past Ruby's team to observe the people go about their lives.

"We assured them that we'll try to search for them, but didn't promise anything concrete. In any case," Coco return back to the team, "I'll need you to pair up and post yourselves at the eastern and northern walls for now. When Sibyll and Velvet return, we'll break for dinner and take shifts over the course of the night. In the event of anything happening, we'll—"

"Miss Coco?" a small voice spoke up. The five of them turned to see a young girl with long, sky blue hair dressed in a white shirt and brown shorts approach them. The ear on top of her head twitched nervously as she eyed the group, a deep shade of purple staring back at them. Her skin was mix between light and tan, and in her hand a small woven basket filled with food and drink.

"Ah, Chisa. There you are," Coco said as she bent down to greet the young girl. "Is this for us?" Chisa nodded, handing her the basket before turning to look at Ruby and her team. Coco stood up and motioned over to them.

"Chisa, I'd like you to meet Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang of Team RWBY (Ruby). They're here to help us keep the monsters away. Team RWBY, this is Chisa. She's Cormack's daughter, one of the townsfolk who looked after our _friend_ Sibyll when he arrived."

All four girls noted how carefully Coco phrased Sibyll to be a friend to them, a warning look in her eye demanding they play along. Yang nodded and approached the young girl, kneeling to be at the same level.

"Hello there. I'm Yang. It's nice to meet you Chisa," Yang said as she gave the girl a wide grin. Chisa nodded cutely, forcing Yang to lose all of her self restraint as she pulled her into a tight hug. "Oh, you are just too **adorable!** " the blond brawler squealed. The rest of her team noticed the very uncomfortable look on Chisa's face as she struggled to free herself. Blake took the initiative by giving Yang a well place smack upside her head, allowing the girl to escape behind Coco's legs.

"Yang, please learn some self control," Blake scolded. Yang apologized to the young girl and received a further scolding from Ruby herself. Blake knelt down a safe distance away from Chisa and held out her hand. "I'm sorry about Yang. She can be a bit too friendly sometimes. I'm Bake." Chisa reach out and took one of Blake's fingers, giving her a light squeeze before retreating quickly.

Blake stood up and stepped back, allowing Weiss to introduce herself.

"Hello, my name is Weiss," the heiress said as she gave a small curtsy. The young girl's eyes widened at Weiss and gave a quick nod. The rest of them were unsure whether Chisa knew who Weiss truly was or if she was simply amazed by the pale beauty. Weiss returned back to the group as Ruby stepped forward.

"Hey! I'm Ruby. Want a cookie?" the young reaper said as she offered one of her stashed baked goods. Chisa looked at the offered treat warily before Coco urged her on. The young girl took it from Ruby and began to nibble on it slightly, before munching on it enthusiastically. For Chisa, it was more than delicious. There was something about it that reminded her of her dad's cookies and off those days they'd eat them in the winter. A smile broke out on Chisa's face and Ruby smiled along with her.

"So you know Sibyll," Ruby asked, kneeling down to meet the girl. Chisa finished up her treat and nodded.

" _If Sibyll has been under her family's care, maybe she's noticed something about it,"_ were her thoughts before posing her next question. "And how is he? Is he alright?" Ruby covered part of her mouth, as if to confide the next question for the girl alone. "Does he eat all his vegetables?"

Yang, Blake, and Weiss collectively sighed over the young leader's approach. It was an unusual thing to ask a child but Ruby was successful in breaking the ice with the young girl. Chisa nodded before motioning Ruby to come closer. When the young reaper did, Chisa put herself closer to her ear.

"But sometime's he's said," Chisa whispered. Ruby pulled away slightly, confused over the young girls observations.

"Sad?" Ruby asked, making sure she heard right. Chisa nodded and continued.

"He gets sad when he reads the books papa brings home sometimes. _Really_ old ones with words I can't understand… But he's really nice!" Chisa added, hoping that she didn't give the wrong impression about her friend. "Sometimes he brings back flowers from outside and he makes animals out of apples for me. And he helps by fighting the monsters! He's good… even if people think he's scary."

Chisa felt a soft hand rest atop her head and looked up to find Ruby rustling her hair gently. "I believe you," the young reaper said as she stood up to face Coco.

"So, what do we do when Grimm happen to stampede this way again?" Ruby asked her fellow team captain. Coco grinned at her enthusiasm and moved over to the town's map with Chisa close behind.

"We'll split up into two groups: one to diminish their numbers and the rest to protecting the town. I would suggest having Yang out there with Yatsu and Fox while the rest of us pick off the ones too close to the walls. The rest will herd away from the town but we have had a few 'brave' (stupid) enough to try and attack the walls. The defenses are sturdy but a few of bigger species have passed through and have tried their luck."

As Coco explained her plan, she placed their pieces accordingly around the map: having Weiss cover the rear of the town, Ruby and Blake on the flanks, and the rest facing the full brunt of the stampede.

"That'll be our main plan of defense. Should everything go south, we defend the citizens while reinforcements arrive. The town's guards have a fair share of combat experience but we are the first line of defense. Any questions?"

All of Team RWBY shook their heads and Coco nodded in return.

"Alright then, we'll get you set up and—"

The sounds of the town's warning bell rang throughout and all of them look toward the town's walls. Guards moved about quickly, shouting orders to open the gate and preparing a stretcher.

"They're back…" Coco said as she quickly left the war room as Chisa followed suit. All of team RWBY followed, moving between the growing crowds as the gate opened to reveal the tree line in the distance.

"Has someone's been found?"

"Could it be them? How many are there!?"

"We don't know but one of the guards spotted the signal fire!"

"Someone needs to call the families."

"We have to make sure it's them. Until we do, prepare the medical room."

Voice from the crowd melded into one of concerns as Ruby made her way through the crowd. Coco stood at attention, her weapon mecha-shifted into its full form as Yatsuhashi and Fox stood alongside her. Chisa had take cover next to Weiss, tugging nervously at the heiress' skirt and Blake had drawn her weapons in anticipation. Dusk hung on the horizon and even from the town's gate, Ruby saw the glint of light through the trees.

Ruby drew Crescent Rose in its rifle form and looked through the scope to find him coming through the tree line.

Covered in a generous amount of evaporating blood, Sibyll entered the clearing with his torch. In his other hand, a katana stained a similar color made clean with a flick of his wrist. Sibyll looked over to the growing crowd, and raised his torch.

"They did find someone! Hurry, get the stretcher to meet them now!"

Some of the faster faunus ran out to greet them and Ruby watched as Sibyll turned to look back into the forest. He must have been speaking to someone, they way his mouth moved and motioned forward. Ruby shifted her sights to find Velvet safe as well, applying her aura to an unconscious person. When Ruby realized who else was with them, her heart stopped.

"Guys, we have a problem…" Ruby murmured to her teammates.

"What sort of problem are we talking about?" Weiss asked.

"The White Fang kind…"

Yang looked over to her sister, then to Weiss whose grip of Myrtenaster tightened.

"Are you sure?" Yang asked.

"He's got the mask to set him apart sis."

Even through her scope, she could see the halt in their advance as they saw the White Fang Member. He handed the unconscious woman to the carefully and stepped away as the as the loaded her onto the stretcher. The two men made their way back to town with Velvet provide aid, leaving Sibyll and the stranger behind.

"What does he look like" Weiss asked, the tone of her voice cold.

"Dressed in black, armed with a sword, red hair with horns _and~_ he's looking this way," Ruby commented. The stranger had someone felt her eyes on him and stared directly back at her before someone took her weapon away.

"Hey!" Ruby shouted before realizing it was Blake holding Crescent Rose and looking through the scope. She needed to confirm for herself if Ruby's clams were true. And they were.

" _How long has it been?"_ she thought as her eyes met Adam's mask. He looked as if he never changed; he still wore those same clothes, still carried the same weapon, and still had that grim expression. Blake never thought she'd reunite with Adam like this. She had hoped it would be long into their future when she had made a difference.

"Is it someone you know Blake?" Yang asked carefully.

"Yeah… It is."

Blake lowered Crescent Rose and handed it back to its owner.

"His name is Adam Taurus. He was the mentor I talked about during our mission at Mountain Glenn…"

"Adam Taurus?" Weiss asked as her knuckles turn white with rage. "As in the Bloody Beast?"

Blake's eyes turn back to the clearing as Sibyll approached Adam.

"The very same."

* * *

The Alpha howled angrily over losing its prey. It had been clever and fast, hitting the beast in the face and then hiding in the rocks. Hiding like the rest of them had. So it clawed and bit at what it could, hoping to get _anything_. But nothing came back out.

So the Alpha howls, furious and irritated. The beast slashed at trees, at stone, at the ground, at the sky, thrashing about as its body convulsed from within. It needed to **feed** on something, anything that tasted like the Grey One. The Alpha savored the taste it had once and the other small ones couldn't sate it. Even the ones that tasted like animals, the ones that tired to get away, could satisfy this… **craving.**

Even when the Alpha began to hunt the larger beasts, the ones like itself, it couldn't be satisfied. The blood… it just wasn't enough. Its brethren lacked the power which once coursed through the beast's veins and feeding on their fading essence was empty. Granted it gave him the size necessary to hunt with ease, but the hunger had become intolerable. It was an insufferable pain within the Alpha's blood thirst, an itch that wouldn't go away.

The Alpha sniffed the air.

It wasn't alone.

The beast turned to find a large pack of Beowolves eyeing it. Many surrounded the beast, itching to take down the one dominating the majority of the land. Another Alpha stands as the head, scarred across the body from Huntsmen and Huntresses. Their eyes meet and the leader of the Beowolf pack lunges.

The beast watches as it crosses the distance before forcing its body to side, missing the attack. Crashing into the ground, the pack leader rises from the fall and turns to face the Alpha once more. The beast still hungered but they will have to suffice. It was then the Alpha formed an unusual thought, leaving just a few wounded after it was through with them. But the beast would have to deal with the rest.

* * *

Another night had fallen around the town.

The woman, who had been identified as Moira, was quickly taken to be treated and rested peacefully in the medical ward. As Adam (as Sibyll came to learn) retold the story of her group's demise, somberness fell over the citizens in the news of their loss. Some outright blamed the swordsman whose ties to the White Fang (an unusual name for a group) suggest foul play. Even when Adam denied any involvement, his words fell on deaf ears. To the young the hunter, Adam was like him: unwanted and distrusted.

Sibyll eventually found himself sitting at the makeshift dinner table within the war room, looking around at the other guests. One side of the table sat the entirety of team RWBY who Sibyll had finally been introduced to. Weiss remained at the far end followed Ruby, Chisa, Blake and Yang whose expressions were apparently one sided (save for Chisa who nervously kept her eyes down).

Weiss' face was exceptionally livid: her lips pursed tight and her eyes narrowing at a particular red haired gentleman beside him. Her hands gripped the cutlery threateningly, wisps of energy trailing of the edge of her butter knife. The animosity shared between the two spoke volumes of conflict. The young hunter could feel the amount of revulsion towards Adam. With a spare glance, Sibyll knew it was returned in kind.

Adam's jaw clenched tightly as he continued to eye Weiss and Blake in turns. There was no subtlety as he openly bared his fangs in defiance whenever he stared at the girl in white. Even with his wrists confined with an unusual chain emitting a red glow, Sibyll could feel the killing intent the swordsman withheld. Adam carried the same expression Sibyll had seen on hunters gone mad, although it appeared the faunus had a high degree of control. But such patience strained against the temptation of what was before him: the heiress to a company that had enslaved his people.

But when Adam looked at Blake, Sibyll noticed the tenseness between the two. The young woman was torn between longing and regret, evident by how here eyes were kept on the swordsman. The young hunter would have guessed there was history between them, but it was not his place to pry. There was something more interesting about the bow above her head, giving a slight twitch every now and then. And whenever they did, Adam loosed a subtle growl which made her even more crestfallen than she was.

Her partner (and coincidentally Ruby's sister) Yang had chosen to keep a close eye on Sibyll. Granted, she had kept up appearances well but Sibyll felt her eyes watching every move he made. Lilac orbs threatened bodily harm but for what he didn't know. The young hunter kept her in the corner of his sight but he felt she was familiar from somewhere. As if she once had long dark hair and crimson eyes… strange.

To his left was Velvet, sitting quietly as she twirled a fork in her hand nervously. Her ears drooped slightly and she tried to avoid meeting Sibyll or Adam's gaze. Yatsuhashi sat vigilantly on Adam's other side while Coco and Fox shared one head of the table together.

Sibyll's eyes finally rested on the young girl he had been avoiding since their reunion. He avoided her partly because of the grim circumstances they parted, but mostly out of shame. The young hunter had succumbed to madness and it was Ruby that had pulled him out of it. Sibyll met her gaze, finding an honest sadness about them and _he_ had done that to her. He never meant for Ruby to learn about him in that way. Sibyll didn't want her to learn about his life in Yharnam or about the things he'd done. But now those silver eyes were pleading with him, hoping to make her understand what had happened that day when he lost control.

And the young hunter was afraid of what the truth could do.

"Well, I hope everyone has a big appetite," Cormack said nervously as he approached the table. With him were two other townsfolk lending a hand in bringing them their meals, their displeasure apparent.

Sibyll sighed as he hid his eyes behind his hand.

" _I am starting to believe this was a terrible suggestion,"_ the young hunter thought.

* * *

 **{Earlier}**

Sibyll approached the man dressed in black after the men of the town carried off the woman for treatment. The young hunter found it strange that he and Velvet would find him traversing the woods with someone they have been searching for. But it was a stroke of luck in their favor and Sibyll would extend his gratitude.

"You have certainly helped us in a time of great need," Sibyll said as he approached the swordsman.

"It was chance. I was being pursued until I came across her. She just happened to be from the place where I was headed, and that's where you found us." The swordsman crossed his arms, his mask hiding any hint of expression.

"Nonetheless, thank you," Sibyll said as he extended his hand forth. "My name is Sibyll."

The swordsman looked at his hand, studying the young hunter before him. A human dressed entirely in grey with an antiquated style and armed with a blade synonymous to his own. He had handled himself well in keeping off the Grimm in their journey back and made sure to give them a wide berth from danger. Still, the swordsman was unsure if this was the man he was ordered to search for.

"Adam," he said but leaving the extended hand alone. The faunus couldn't trust humans, let alone one who had ordered him to find another. But if Sibyll was his intended target, he would have to make sure to speak with him alone.

Sibyll withdrew his hand.

"So has brought your travels to this town?" the young hunter asks.

"I'm looking for someone," Adam promptly replies. Quiet falls between them before Adam hears Sibyll chuckling to himself. He studies the man as Sibyll brings up a hand to cover his mouth, attempting to mask his amusement.

"Is something funny," he asks the young hunter. Irritation began to set in as Sibyll let his quiet laughter run its course.

"No, nothing at all. I found myself understanding why few struggle to converse with me. It is strange to see it from someone else though." Sibyll gave Adam a small smile before continuing. "You mentioned you were pursued?"

Adam nodded. "An Alpha Beowolf took me by surprise after a few of its kind charged by. It's not anything unusual for Grimm to flee their territory but a variety? When I saw the thing, I could understand why."

At the mention of the Alpha, Adam noticed Sibyll's expression darken.

"Describe the Alpha to me."

The shift in tone was hard to ignore as the cordial attitude shifted into rigidity. Adam could feel the atmosphere between them begin to grow heavy as he recounted the details about the creature. Unusual size for its species, mangy, tenacious during the chase, faster and stronger than it should have been, and everything Adam could remember. Sibyll rubbed his chin in thought, troubled by the non-coincidental details he had learned.

"Was there anything else that appeared to be unusual?" the young hunter asked.

"Not that I could pick out. The only thing I could label as 'unusual' would be the body that was left behind in an underground passage we used."

"A body?"

"It was another of their group but from what she's told me… It was already too late. Apparently the Alpha got to him when he tried to return to town to seek help. Grievous wounds made him feverish and violent, prompting her to defend herself."

Sibyll mulled over the details and accounts that have transpired, finding a terrible sense of foreboding.

" _I can handle the Alpha if it has returned, but there is something amiss…"_ Sibyll thought as he looked back toward the town. A detail in the recount suddenly surfaced and the young hunter turned quickly back to Adam.

"The woman, how did she receive her wounds?"

Adam frowned at the question, unsure why that would be a detail of concern when considering the Alpha in the woods.

"It was when she fought back against her companion. Her right forearm was bandaged from a bite and she's been sick since. I don't know how long it had been for her, but I could only assume time had passed."

"And the other body… did it seem disproportionate or more animal in nature?"

Adam froze at the inquiry.

"How did you know?"

Sibyll felt an icy chill run through his body, the nauseous feeling returning to the pit of his stomach. The Alpha had managed to contract a strain of the scourge through Sibyll and infected another in turn. It was **Sibyll** who had caused the Alpha to change and it made sense. Looking from a merely basic standpoint, the young hunter had forgotten the most rudimentary means of infection: bodily fluids. His hands clenched tightly over such an amateur mistake. The hunter's of Yharnam had designed their attire to avoid accidental self contamination, hence the tight and dense cover about the body and face.

" _It must have been_ _ **my**_ _blood that brought this about,"_ Sibyll thought as he looked backed to the town. "We have a problem."

Adam stared at the young hunter before his aura flared up, warning him of danger. Both men heard an unusual sound and jumped away as a glyph formed under their position. Its intricately red patterns alighted, shooting up a pillar of fire before dispersing quickly. Sibyll could feel the intense heat of the spell and drew Chikage from its sheathe. His eyes darted around, catching a glimpse of something white gliding across the field towards Adam.

The faunus drew Wilt and fired an explosive round from Blush, forcing the white clad figure to evade. Quickly sheathing his blade, his eyes focused on the form of Weiss Schnee herself. His blood began to boil at the thought of her name, of her family's crimes. How many years of injustice could he undo if she were under his mercy? The White Fang would certainly profit more with a Schnee hostage and have leverage against the bastard. Maybe they could send him a message, finger by finger until they understood.

Weiss fired off a combination of elemental spells, pressing the offensive as best as she could. The faunus bastard would continue to dodge and evade, but she had been leading him right where she wanted him. A bolt of lightening surged forth, forcing Adam back into an unseen glyph: glowing black upon activation and adding great pressure over him. He struggled against the Gravity Spell he had slipped into, but it would take more than surmounting force to best him. As Weiss summoned a blade of ice over him, he allowed some of his aura to feed into his blade as he began to sap the glyph's power.

The heiress used the remaining remain blue dust in Myrtenaster as she maintained her hold over the faunus. Overhead the blade grew, waiting for her command to end his wretched life and avenge the lives he had taken.

Adam Taurus, "the Bloody Beast."

He had been responsible for the lives of some of her extended family. They had no hand in the maltreatment of the faunus and only shared her family's name. But it was enough to be warranted as a target by angry radicals, deemed guilty through association. So many of them went missing and those that returned conveyed a cruel end. Weiss didn't agree with her father's direction with their family's company, but she couldn't forgive those who targeted her family.

"Do you know who I am?" Weiss asked as the blade finishing its form.

"Another dead Schnee," Adam responded as his body grew bright red. Weiss thrust her rapier forward, allowing the sword of ice to strike in a downward slash. Adam waited for the prime moment to strike and drew his blade in a flash, his energy meeting the ice head on. Upon contact, the area exploded as it rocked the ground around them. Weiss was thrown back and upon recovery, realized that Adam had taken the offensive. She used Myrtenaster to parry his attacks but Adam's speed began to increase; the heiress just barely defending herself from the edge of his crimson blade. Weiss attempted to block another incoming strike but Adam had fainted, turning his blade mid-strike and aimed to slash at her unguarded midsection. Her eyes widened as the blade came closer and closer, her vision filled with so much red as she felt a pair of hands pull her away.

"Weiss! What were you thinking!?" Ruby shouted over the sound of rushing winds. The young reaper had used her semblance to carry them away as Yang covered their retreat. Adam dashed away from the blonde's shots and used his blade to parry another blade from behind.

"Adam, stop!"

The thick cleaver of Gambol Shroud held its ground as Blake tried to stop her former mentor in his attack. For a moment, he did. Adam didn't expect an old face to resurface after her desertion but here she was fighting alongside a Schnee. Had it been another time in a different situation, he would have enjoyed the irony. Adam applied pressured against his blade, forcing Blake to take the defensive stance against his attacks.

"Please, don't do this!" she cried as she left an afterimage behind to take a lethal hit. Blake shifted Gambol into its kusarigama form, using the tensile ribbon to keep him at bay. He ignored her pleas as he dashed into her guard, slashing across her body. Blake had barely managed to bring up the cleaver as the red blade glanced against its wide surface. She flipped away from another strike as explosions filled the area between her and Adam. Yang loaded another belt of cartridges into Ember Celica, cocking it ready as she joined Blake into the fray.

The blonde brawler's fists tried to connect but the length of the blade had kept her at bay. Glyphs formed beneath Yang, providing her a buff in her speed as she was able to increase her offensive barrage. Adam tried to force himself away until he felt something blunt strike him from the side, launching his body a great distance. Absorbing most of the damage, Adam righted him into a defensive stance as four girls stood before him. Even he could see how well they worked together, a great degree of trust in watching each other's backs. Given another day, he would have tested to see how strong their bond truly was but he needed an out. He couldn't stay, not when four students could call for reinforcements from the kingdom.

"Do they know Blake?" he growled.

Blake flinched at his words. She could feel his disdain and the glances from her teammates.

"Do they know about the things _we've_ done?"

" **I** wasn't the one who went out of my way to harm innocent people Adam! What **you** did… what you did was unforgivable!" Blake's grip on her weapons tightened as she stared at him, holding back the tears of shame and sadness she had locked away for so long. Adam continued to stare them down, hand poised to draw and strike.

"We can't be naïve forever Blake. You learned just how unfair the world could be yet you refuse to fight back," Adam spoke evenly. " **Our people** can't be saved when the rest of the society refuses to hear or acknowledge us! We both _tried_ to lead peaceful examples but we both know how that turned out."

"There's still a chance to change!"

Blake turned to Ruby as she readied her weapon, her expression torn between understanding and sadness.

"It doesn't have to be this way! We'll only lose more people if we continue to fight each other," the young reaper pleaded.

"And what would you suggest we do to right decades of injustice? How would you convince your kingdoms, **your** **people** , to change," Adam questioned.

"By righting the wrongs of the past," Weiss interjected.

Adam snarled at the heiress. "Empty words from a Schnee no less."

"I'm not my father!" Weiss shouted back. "I may carry my family's name but that doesn't mean I fall in line with _his_ philosophy. Even if I don't trust some of your kind, I know I can trust Blake. _We_ can trust Blake to stand with us."

Adam looked between the girls before stopping at Blake's new partner. "And you?"

Yang shrugged and returned a grin. "My team and friends are my family and family comes first. If you mess with any of _them,_ then you're messing with **me**. Stopping the bad guys just comes as a bonus."

"Then you're all blind and naïve," Adam said as his weapon and mask began to glow. He had slowly been feeding aura into his weapon, preparing for a final strike.

"You can't change or save anything with only ideals. Only our actions speak and you made it quite clear which side you're on Blake. You betrayed your brothers and sisters when you deserted them. By the order of the White Fang, you are to be treated as a traitor and punishable by death."

Adam grinned, giving himself a bestial look.

"Luckily for me, you'll be joined with a Schnee. I'll be sure to send them her head after I'm finished with you." Adam grabbed the hilt his weapon and the girls readied themselves for the incoming attack. But the faunus was always the fastest on the draw, his fighting style dependent that he struck first. He could only hold the energy within his weapon for so long before it became unstable. Adam began to draw his blade as a voice cut through the silence.

"ENOUGH!"

Adam felt several sharp jolts of pain across his unguarded back, forcing his aura to give out and cancelling his attack. He knew it was a risk to use his own energy to draw power as it left him defenseless. It was the only reason why he forced Wilt's blade to absorb dust when it can to use his semblance. The swordsman fell to his knees as his body continued to rock with pain, something paralyzing him in his movement. Ruby and her team watched as he collapsed on the ground, silver hilts sticking out and his wounds beginning to bleed. Her breath started to quicken at how similar it had been to the one's in her nightmare, and she looked up to find the young hunter approach them.

Sibyll stood in front of the downed swordsman, weapon drawn but pointed towards the ground. His eyes met with Ruby's and he could feel himself growing uneasy under her gaze. It had been a while since they last met but he never expected for her to show up again. He studied the other members of her team, trying to remember their defining details and tying a name to them. But the matter at hand had to be dealt with.

"It would be unwise to fight someone who had given his help," Sibyll spoke.

"Help? **HELP!?** " Weiss shrieked. She pointed at the down swordsman behind him, hoping to clarify who it was he was defending. "He's a member of the White Fang! They don't 'help' anyone! They are thieves and murders under the aim of eliminating all of humankind! The only one's they watch out for are themselves!" Even at these words, Blake found herself cringing. Weiss took a step towards Sibyll who had raised the tip of his blade against her.

"I know not of this White Fang you speak of, but it would still be in bad form to act further," he warned.

"He's a criminal!"

"If that is so, then he did not have any moral obligation to save that woman's life. Yet he did so anyways."

"One life does not forgive him of the many he's taken," the heiress finally shouted.

"I never said he was absolved of his sins," Sibyll said as he turned to look down towards Adam. "But I believe it is fair to say **one** life is better than **none**. She is the sole survivor of a missing group this town requested to be found, and in turn he is responsible for that good will alone. So I would advise you to stand down."

"And if I don't?" Weiss challenged.

Sibyll studied her as she drew up her rapier to match the tip of his blade. The young hunter had studied their fight, finding the faults and exceptional skill in their formation. The woman before him was certainly skilled and precise, but Sibyll knew she lacked the fortitude to fight a prolonged battle. Even now, he heard her breath catch up and saw how tightly she held her weapon. This one would certainly prove to be a challenge in terms of the elemental practice but he knew he would be able to break her guard.

He simply shrugged as he sheathed his weapon.

"Then you would be risking temporary alliance with your enemy."

Sibyll bent down next to Adam, pulling out his knives one by one.

"You would risk losing information only _he_ would have and I am sure your _leader_ would prefer you not act with haste. Right?" he asked as he spared a glance at Ruby. The young reaper had been watching him treat Adam with care, despite the amount of pain the faunus appeared to be. She nodded and Sibyll returned to his work.

"Do you remember the beast from the red forest?"

Team RWBY looked to each other, not liking the direction the conversation was going.

"My efforts to deal with it have proven useless. It has returned and it seems to have changed drastically, much so where possible bites are to be treated extreme caution."

After removing all the knives and stowing them away, Sibyll pulled out a small paper parcel and emptied out its contents. He turned Adam to rest on his back, body still shaking from the effects of the poison, and reach his hand out with the antidote.

"Swallow this. You will feel much better in a few moments though it would be best to act in a more civil manner."

Sibyll placed the medicinal tablets in Adam's mouth, hearing the man swallow them, and he saw a slow decline in shaking. The young hunter stood up and turned to the now arriving members of Team CFVY.

"I take it you have restraints?" Sibyll asked as he motioned over to the chains in Yatsuhashi's hands. Coco nodded and ordered the green warrior to confine the White Fang member.

"Aura chains," she commented. "Most towns don't have them but luckily this one did. It'll bar him from using his semblance until we hand him over to the authorities."

"Good. At least that way, he will have to be more docile over dinner when we discuss strategies," Sibyll replied. The young hunter turned to find Adam's weapon discarded on the ground and made to pick it up. He unsheathed the blade slightly, admiring the color of the blade and returning it to its guard. Sibyll turn back to Ruby and her team, slowly approaching them.

"I believe this would be most suitable in your care," he said as he extended the weapon towards Blake. She looked at the weapon and back to him. Blake saw how his eyes seemed to watch her in a way that one studied people: sizing them up, gauging their skill, or simply observing out of curiosity. She took the weapon out of his hand and nodded. She never held Wilt and Blush herself and was surprised there was a certain weight to the weapon. Adam wielded the weapon with ease and dexterity, as if it were lighter. Sibyll nodded to all them, sparing a tentative glance towards Ruby before walking back towards the town.

"You **can't** be serious!" the heiress shouted after him. Sibyll stopped and turned to the rest of the group. Night was beginning to fall and the darkness crept at the forest's edge.

"Well one could discuss out here where the beasts prowl. Or we can hopefully have it around warm food and within walls," he replied as he began to make his return.

"And we have to thank the gentleman somehow for his efforts and soon-to-be cooperation."

Coco and Yatsuhashi followed after him with Adam over the larges man's shoulder. Weiss turned back to her team, pointing towards the departing group. All four girls had mixed feelings about the turn of events but the heiress voiced out all their concerns.

"They can't be serious!"

* * *

"I can't believe they're serious about this," the heiress muttered next to Ruby.

The young reaper herself couldn't believe the turn of events: a sought after fugitive and notorious member of the White Fang having dinner with hunters-in-training. It would have been great material for a joke, but that remained in Yang's department and even her older sister remained quiet about it all. Cormack arrived with two other of the townsfolk and they began setting various dishes about their "table": a humble assortment of meats and vegetables accompanied by fresh dinner roles and baked pies. The aroma drifted about the area and Ruby saw how it even caught the attention of Adam, before he looked away derisively.

Sibyll stood up from his seat and approached the men who helped bring their meal, thanking them for their hospitality. The reception however had been less than kind as one spat at his coat, cursing him openly before departing. The unease at the table deepened as he took off his coat and wiped away at the spit with a napkin from the table. Chisa had noticeably flinched at the swear word and Ruby gave her a reassuring pat on her shoulder. Sibyll placed the coat gingerly on top of the supply crate and took his place at the table with everyone.

"Here we are," he said as he settled in. "Now, who would like to give grace?"

All eyes turned to him at the table, and Ruby saw his expression turn to confusion. He looked around at them as if he had breached a social custom and his brow furrowed over the thought that he had done so.

"Forgive me, I am still learning the customs of the culture," Sibyll admitted.

"It's alright, no harm done in asking," Cormack said as he turned to his daughter. "Chisa, would lead us in saying grace?"

If it were any more possible to shrink in one's seat, Ruby found herself amazed at the effort the little girl made to disappear from sight. Her blue ears folded against her head as she looked around to find everyone watching her. Ruby saw as Chisa took a glance at Sibyll and he nodded in support of her. Chisa stood up from her eat and spoke as she kept her eyes firmly on her empty plate to avoid everyone's gaze.

"We…are thankful for the food and… and the company we wish to always have," she said as quietly as she could. Chisa returned to her seat and did her best to hide behind Ruby's cloak.

"Well said," Sibyll added in praise for the young girl. "Now then, shall we?"

It had been a fairly quiet affair as almost everyone filled their plates with food. Yang decided to make small talk with Coco. Sibyll had chosen to talk with Cormack and Velvet about the lay of the lands and other things. Ruby had done her best to keep good company with Chisa but the young girl, along with Blake, Weiss and Adam, had chosen to be quiet overall.

"You are not going to partake?" Sibyll asked as he turned to Weiss.

The heiress sneered at him before looking away. "I won't share a meal with someone like _him_."

"And I'd rather die than break bread with a Schnee," Adam said to himself as he glared at Weiss.

"That can be arranged," Sibyll said as he pulled out a silver throwing knife from one of its many harnesses. The edge of the blade was coated in a purplish substance, giving off a sour smell. The table went quiet as they watched him twirled the deadly instrument about his glove hand. Adam met Sibyll's gaze and growled at the threat, the young hunter grinning back in kind.

"Sibyll!" Chisa squeaked out before covering her mouth with a hand. He had turned to look at the young girl and quickly stashed away the knife.

"Right, right. I apologize. The joke was made in poor taste," Sibyll admitted.

"That was supposed to be a joke?" Coco asked. Sibyll shrugged in return, holding his hands up in defense.

"I did admit it was done rather poorly."

"This whole dinner is a joke," Weiss added as she stood up from her seat. "You all may go along with it, but I won't. Not when **he's** joining us."

"The does not appear to be a very wise decision," Sibyll commented as he began to eat.

"And what would **you** know?"

"I know that, given the circumstances, right now would be a prime moment to try and understand someone you have marked an enemy. For example," Sibyll turned to Adam, "why do you wear the mask?"

"What purpose would that serve?" Adam countered, but Sibyll chuckled in response.

"It would help me better understand this conflict between you two. I know nothing of this White Fang faction, but discussion would certainly be enlightening." Sibyll looked back to Weiss and motioned for her to sit. "And you might as well partake in dinner while you are here. You could do with a bit of meat on your bones."

From the other end of the table, the heiress could hear Yang snickering at Sibyll's brave comment on her figure. Weiss grew furious, her face turning scarlet over his words and she could just as easily hit the bulls-eye of is face with the butter knife. Ruby reached out to her, gently tugging at her sleeve and mouthing "please" to her. Weiss knew she could just leave this farce of a pleasant evening. She was halfway there and all she had to do was walk away. But the gall Sibyll went to annoy through being so damn _logical_ made Weiss undermine her own efforts as a Huntress in training. Whatever information the Bloody Beast would share could be used against him and not being present to exploit it would be counter productive.

Weiss huffed but returned to her seat, opting to put a very small helping of salad on her plate. Ruby whispered a thank you but Weiss shrugged her off.

Sibyll returned to looking at Adam, having refused to answer his question, and gestured to the food before them. When the swordsman made no move to feed himself, the young hunter took it upon himself to prove Adam a hefty helping.

"It would be a shame to let such generosity go to waste," Sibyll said as he placed the plate before Adam. He raised his arms, giving them a slight shake to emphasize the sound of his chains and shackles. "Well, they were certainly generous enough to not have you locked up right away. You might not have been given such a delicious meal," he chided, giving Adam a slight nudge.

Adam recoiled from the gesture and growled.

"Don't get chummy with me, human," he warned. Yet Sibyll shrugged of the threat with a smile. Everyone at the table struggled to make sense of the scene before them.

Ruby's moments with Sibyll had been brief, but she knew when he had become more relaxed. He didn't seem to be on guard whenever they talked and the two of them would often joke with one another. Granted, Sibyll's humor seemed completely out of date but he smiled. Sibyll would smile and laugh freely with her and here he was doing it again with someone considered their enemy. Sibyll would quip about something Adam would say (as a threat) and they would banter back and forth. Even stranger how Ruby found herself slightly jealous of the "closeness" but she concluded she was still mixed about how to approach Sibyll.

The whole of team CFVY were more or less unsure how to feel with the scene before them. They had taken turns working with Sibyll as a way to keep an eye on him and learn what they could. But he had always been more reserved and cordial, regarding them with honorifics of "Mister" and "Miss." He was well guarded but treated them as equals anyways, often asking them questions about strategies, or the flora and fauna. Sometimes, he would ask them about the historic past but there was only so much they could tell him (being second years). And to their surprise, they could see just how open he allowed himself to be with the White Fang member.

Yang, Weiss, and Blake collectively struggled the most in terms of understanding what is transpiring. For Yang, she simply couldn't believe how forward this Sibyll character is. They way he openly spoke out and pointed out flaws was unusual for the brawler who preyed on those very attributes for her own humor (and at Jaune's expense). Weiss refused to believe someone would openly be personal with someone from the White Fang. Blake was the only exception being a former member, but the heiress wouldn't accept the fact the person who had saved them would be so… neutral. She had pointed out the ill deeds of the organization but Sibyll appeared to shrug them of carelessly.

And Blake… couldn't believe how easily provoked Adam had been by such antics. He was frustratingly reserved during her time in the White Fang, keeping to their mentor-apprentice relationship. Even when they had met, he kept himself distanced until they learned to trust each other. But not once had she seen him so un-composed, arguing back (roughly), and seeming (for lack of a better term) so human. She had years to chip away at the rough exterior and earned the title as his confidant, but always remained composed. And the person responsible remained even more of a mystery to her, finally studying him up close. Whoever Sibyll was, Blake only hoped his character wasn't a ruse to fool them. She had suspected it as such when he openly threatened to kill Adam but when Chisa reprimanded him… Sibyll looked genuinely apologetic.

"Come now, just a single bite to tide you over," Sibyll said as he nudged the rim of Adam's plate.

"You're becoming insufferable," Adam warned.

"Enough to strangle me in front of the other guests?"

"It's becoming too hard to resist."

"Well, that is certainly better than nothing," Sibyll admitted as he took another bite.

"And what were you hoping to accomplish?"

"I was looking forward to you warming up to the idea of answering a few questions."

"Oh, you're interrogating me now?"

"I am just trying to understand you. There is no harm in that."

Adam clenched his utensils tightly before finally digging into his meal. He had traveled far, fought a great deal, and if eating just enough would shut this stranger up, Adam would do it.

"There's no point in trying. If you keep asking, I might use these chains to strangle you."

"Easy there pup. There is no need to be so testy. You mentioned earlier you were looking for someone," Sibyll added. The table turned their attention to Adam, but the swordsman missed the direction aimed at him. The young hunter's efforts in keeping him occupied had proven successful as Adam turned to him with a sneer.

"I am but why would that matter to you?" Adam asked as he cut away at the meat on his plate and placing one in his mouth.

"We could help you find whoever you are searching for," Sibyll replied.

"Would that be… safe?" Cormack asked, voicing his concerns. Sibyll waved his worry away and turned to the man.

"I am confident the nature of his visit is not of hostility. And I believe the sooner Mister Taurus meets with the sir or madam, he will be more incline to cooperate. I volunteer to supervise if necessary."

"Tch, not likely," Adam interjected. "And even if I _did_ find him, what part would you have in that conversation. The person I'm looking for goes from town to town, causing upset and allegedly stringing up Grimm. I doubt you would have any stake in that meeting."

Adam continued to eat his meal in silence, finally finding the quiet he fought for. He glanced over to Sibyll, finding him mid-pause, and returned to his plate finishing off the meats. The man next to him looked more or less surprised at his comments and returned to eating his own dinner.

"You too?" Sibyll asked as he helped himself to a slice of pie.

It finally clicked together and Adam turned to him slowly.

"Son of a bitch…" he muttered under his breath.

The rest of the table looked over at Sibyll as he continued with his meal, their expressions searching for an explanation. The youngest of them decided to take the brave initiative.

"Sibyll," Chisa began, "are you in trouble?"

Sibyll looked over the young girl as concerned and worry filled her eyes. He took another bite of his pie, savoring the flavor, before addressing her.

"I am afraid so, little one."

"Are you in _a lot_ of trouble?"

"That is correct."

Chisa fidgeted in her seat before pressing on. "What did you do?"

Sibyll decided to place his utensils down, interlocking his fingers together and resting his chin upon them.

"I caught myself in an argument with another person. We… did not see eye-to-eye, so to speak. We argued to the point where we started fighting. I did not mean to hurt him, but I did. Someone found out what I did, so I decided to run away. I take that the very same person sent Ruby and Coco to come bring me back home. Is that correct?"

He looked over at Ruby and Coco respectively and both girls nodded for Chisa's sake. Coco had maintained the idea that they were friends to draw away suspicion, but she finally knew it was for nothing. Sibyll knew their motivations which would make taking him back all the more difficult.

"And what about him?" Chisa pointed at Adam.

"I believe he is here to help me run away so they do not find me. Right?"

Adam refused take part of it and turned his face away. The young girl grew quiet before standing up from her seat, staring at him head on with a resolve in her eyes.

"You should go back," she stated. Sibyll raised an eyebrow over her sudden confidence.

"And why should I go back?"

Chisa clasped her hands together in front of her, a noticeable shake as her tenacity began to wane.

"You didn't mean to, right? So you should go back and say sorry for what you did." Chisa took her seat and looked down at her plate. "At least, I think that's what you should do…"

She looked up to find him grinning at her, and she couldn't help but smile back.

"I believe your daughter is set on the right path Cormack," Sibyll said as he turned to her father. He could only return with a sheepish grin.

"And!" Chisa suddenly added. She looked up at the masked stranger in chains who had to eat dinner with them. He was certainly terrifying to her, the way he dressed and talked. She didn't know what made speak up, but it was already to late.

"I think you should go home too," Chisa said as she looked up at Adam. "Your family might be really sad if you run away."

Her eyes watched as he looked back to her, already afraid she said something she shouldn't have. When he suddenly stood up, the young girl closed her eyes and she heard the sound of people around her standing up as well. When she heard nothing else, she peeked to find him standing there with the other looking at him.

"Thank you for the meal," Adam said as he walked away from the table. Yatsuhashi made to follow after but Sibyll shook his head.

"I will accompany him, Mister Yatsu. You were on duty for a fair portion of the day and have earned your fair share of rest."

Sibyll looked at the plate left behind before scrapping on the untouched vegetables from his own dish.

"I will make sure he finishes his meal," Sibyll said to Chisa as he gave her a wink. "And thank you for the wonderful meal Cormack. It is most certainly welcomed. Ruby, I believe this would be the opportune moment to inform Coco and her team of what we are facing."

"Try not to run off into the night," Coco added.

"I believe that I am greatly needed here," Sibyll responded.

And with that, Sibyll followed after the Adam. Chisa looked around at everyone else as the took to their seats and received a warm pat on the head from Blake. Coco turned to Ruby, removing her darkened glasses.

"So, what kind of situation are we looking at?"

* * *

 **A/N: Well... All the characters and pieces are now set in place for the story's close to the introductory arc. Everyone is where they need to be and all that matters now is who lives and who dies. Ahahaha... Hmm...**

 **In any case, everyone has been very supportive and positive with their reviews. I'm currently drafting the next chapter but it may take a while as I'm working out the kinks and gears (also I find my FFN-RWBY for personal reading to be backlogged which is a first). Also, a certain Cpt. Rabbit had caught my attention. His/or Her advice on double-reading my drafts to correct the mistakes is something I plan to do on all the chapters. But his/her curiosity for what will happen to Chisa prompt me into thinking on her as a character...**

 **...and what do YOU all think about her?**

 **Let me know your thoughts about her and if things work out (or if the majority favors her), I might consider making her a permanent staple to the cast. Until next time everyone.**


	9. Cry Havoc!

**A/N: This one is just as long as the previous chapter but by golly a LOT goes down. And the best part? There's just so much more! Because it's not over yet!**

* * *

Blake went about the table collecting the empty plates and dirtied utensils. Yang worked the washbasin alongside Fox, the pair washing and drying dishes in unison. Off to the side, Ruby and Coco spoke in hushed tones about dealing with the rogue Alpha. After the young reaper informed Coco and her team of what is to come, both captains began formulating contingencies. They left no stone unturned with every consideration with or against their favor. Yatsuhashi accompanied Velvet to the town's southern guard post and Weiss found herself conversing with Cormack, careful not to wake the young girl resting on her lap. Sibyll and Adam had yet to return, their absence leaving Blake slightly on edge. She didn't like how open Sibyll was to the idea of leaving with Adam, nor did she appreciate how insignificant he made the situation out to be.

"Is that the last of them?" Yang asked, snapping her partner out of her thoughts.

"Yeah," Blake responded. She handed the last of the dishes to her partner and watched her at work. Yang's hands worked efficiently and Fox kept a synonymous pace, swiftly drying what the brawler had given him with precision. With the last of the dishes cleaned and tucked away, Yang dried her hands and gave Fox a firm slap on the shoulder.

"You've got good hands," Yang praised. "Makes me think what _else_ you could do with them."

Blake gave her a sharp nudge, hoping to stop the salacious suggestions while she still could. Fox on the other hand remained unperturbed, passively stretching out his fingers.

"Ask Coco. She's experienced it firsthand," Fox deadpanned.

Both girls stared at the blind hunter, their reactions divided: Blake's cheeks tinged red with slight embarrassment over Fox's bold admission while Yang's grin grew as wide as it could. The brawler draped an arm around him, closing the distance between the two.

"You don't say…" Yang arched her eyebrow despite it going unnoticed. Fox merely shrugged as he removed himself from her hold.

"It's true. Coco once challenged me to dismantle and reassemble her weapon as fast as I could. Best lunch I ever got that day," Fox said as he tilted his head towards his leader.

"You can't be _that_ good," Yang prodded but Fox shook his head.

"I'm sure you've seen Coco's weapon in action. So many interlocking and changing parts within that small box, but I was able pull off in two-and-a-half minutes flat, **blindfold** and all."

Fox turned to them with a smirk, leaving Yang gaping at the joke he made against himself. The blonde brawler turned to Blake and placed both hands on her shoulders, shaking her slightly.

" _Blakey~_! Can we take this one home with us?! I promise to feed and walk him everyday! We'll even give them Weiss if we have to~!" Yang cried, overshadowing the heiress' "hey!" within the background.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that Fox," Coco said as she came up behind them. She gave her partner a prompt pat on his behind as she joined the group.

"And besides, I'm sure your sister wouldn't appreciate you trading off her partner."

Ruby stood alongside Coco, giving her sister a stern look before addressing the group.

"We'll break up into two groups for day and night shifts. Blake and I will take first watch while you and Weiss turn in for the night. We'll come get you at dawn and then reconvene again at lunch tomorrow," Ruby said. She looked about the group, confirming they understood their roles. Everyone nodded in agreement and began to break.

Ruby moved over to where Weiss, Cormack and Chisa where situated to pass on her plan to Weiss. Before Yang could depart, she felt a hand on her shoulder stop her and turned to find Coco standing close.

"Nice try. But if you _really_ want to get a rise out of Fox, just ask him why he keeps tearing the sheets. He'll get what you mean," Coco said as she winked over her shades. Standing a ways away from them, Fox's expression became mortified as his partner led him away to his post for the night. Yang stood there thinking over the implications of those words, jaw dropping over the realization. She turned to Blake, screaming with a silent surprise but faunus girl opted to ignore her and everything she learned.

"I guess it's time we turn it too," Cormack said as he stood. He carefully picked up the sleeping girl from Weiss and apologized for the inconvenience put upon her. Weiss dismissed it as she gave Chisa a tender stroke on her cheek, reminded of her sister at home.

"If you need a place to sleep, there are a few spare beds back at home you're welcome to use," the father added as he motioned them to follow. Yang and Weiss began to follow after bidding their partners goodnight. They walked through the quiet streets of the town, the moonlight and torches guiding their way back to a modest one story home. Cormack carefully opened the door and allowed the girls to enter first. Yang and Weiss stood in the open space as Cormack disappeared into the darkened hallway to put Chisa to bed.

Yang looked around at the framed photos hung about the walls, noting the various occasions preserved within each. Birthdays, holidays, celebrations, etc. But what the brawler found strange was how the younger Cormack in the photos looked surly, as if troubled to be included in the photos. She picked up one in particular with Cormack trapped under the arms of a young woman with long blue hair, Chisa's mother Yang guessed.

"Yang! Don't just go looking about! It's rude," Weiss whispered harshly.

"They're nothing rude about admiring someone's home," Yang replied as she continued to look at each photo.

One held a moment where Cormack appeared passed out, empty pint glasses around his body as the woman across from him stood triumphantly. Another shown a scene where Cormack was bound, wrists tied behind his back, as he struggled to escape the same woman furiously chasing him, waving a piece of cloth in her hand. Weiss and Yang went from photo to photo, stopping finally at one where Cormack refused to look at the camera as he stood behind the woman and their newborn child.

"Her name was Celia Cavell," Cormack spoke up from behind. The girls turned quickly to find him approaching.

"An officer of the law transferred here from Vacuo to advise and oversee the guardsmen's training. Strange that they would send a human to a faunus settlement, especially one where the folks are easily doubtful of her intentions."

"Was it always that bad?" Yang asked. Cormack shook his head.

"It was **much** worse before her arrival. Heck, the people here wouldn't even trade with human merchants and the other towns simply because they didn't trust them. Some of these folks were from Menagerie, hoping to make a better life out here. But the strife within the city and the Schnee' business handling, they're afraid."

Cormack turned to Weiss adding, "Though that is no fault of your own Miss."

The heiress nodded, looking down at her reflection with the mug in her hands. Cormack had been cordial with her, despite her unease around the faunus townsfolk. He had never approached her with reprimand for what her family did to his people, never blamed her for the current state of Human-Faunus affairs. The man before her simply asked how her travel was, if she found the meal to her taste, and what of the condition of the city after the Breach. She knew that _he_ knew she was wary of him, but treated her normally nonetheless.

"When she arrived though," Cormack began, "she changed things for the better, even if we were the two most hated people within the town."

"We?" Yang asked, catching a small smile on the older man's face.

"She was a human with the authority of the kingdom. I was a pickpocket who continued to ruin the reputation of our brothers and sisters."

"And how did _that_ work out?" Yang raised.

"Terribly," Cormack replied honestly. "I was on the lam from the city after someone identified my face. I had to go from town to town, stealing what I could and just happened to be caught here while she was on duty. She _could_ have sentenced me to their town's holding but the punishment was the worst I could have ever endured…"

"What could possibly be worse," Weiss worded carefully.

"Community service," Cormack stated simply. Yang and Weiss shared a look before the he continued.

"I was given two years for my crimes with hopes of reformation, and acted as her assistant for every single thing. We helped repair homes, acted as envoys for trades the town was too proud to make, improved the guards training, and so many other chores. But the town warmed up to her and came to tolerate my presence. I was pardoned and her stay at Addersfield had come to a close."

Cormack placed the family photo down gently.

"I could have gone back to raising more trouble knowing she wouldn't be around. But that wouldn't be any fun…"

He turned to the girls with an honest smile.

"I promised her that I would become an upstanding member of society if she stuck around to make sure of it."

"That's hardly romantic," Weiss said as she frowned.

"True," he admitted as he pointed the photo of him running away, "but this is the same woman who chased me around town for bringing home the wrong flavor of blueberry."

He chuckled to himself as he gave the photos one last look for the night.

"She was a good woman, the best I could ever ask for. Come now, I'll show you to your rooms," he said as he motioned for them to follow. Cormack led them down the hall and opened a door revealing a room with two single beds.

"The bath is right next door and after that would be Chisa's room, then mine, and the other guest room. Make use of anything you need in the house," Cormack added. Yang and Weiss thanked him and began to unpack their belongings, keeping an ear out as footsteps made their way down the hall and disappeared into a room. Weiss began to change when Yang finally spoke up.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" she asked, putting her gauntlets on the side table.

" _I'm_ thinking about turning in for the night. Whatever thoughts you have about searching through that man's rooms, leave me out of them," Weiss replies as she slips into bed.

" _Come on~!_ This might be the only time we get any info without having to talk to him directly. Conclusive evidence! A solid motive! Witnesses and alibis!" Yang whispers, trying not to raise her voice.

"You might also jeopardize the whole mission by getting caught. We **can't** risk it. We can only trust Ruby to persuade him to come with us."

"I **do** trust Ruby," Yang added as she slipped into her sleeping attire, "but there are things he probably won't tell us that we have to find for ourselves. And what better way to find secrets than through someone's belongings."

"Yang!" Weiss called out but the brawler had already slipped through the door. The heiress cursed under her breath and followed as quietly as she could, finding golden locks disappearing into another room. Tiptoeing passed the occupied rooms, Weiss followed after Yang and closed the door behind them. The room itself was normal, with the exception of the books piling up by the bed. Yang was carefully digging through the bag placed at the corner of the room.

"Just make it quick. We don't want him to know we've been in here," the heiress warned. Yang gave a grunt and continued sifting through the worn leather bag. Weiss noticed a cane placed along side the books, taking into her hands and studied the unassuming weapon. Her fingers felt a concealed switch just beneath the handle and gave it a tentative push. It resisted against her finger as if stuck in place and Weiss decided against forcing it, lest it caused a loud disturbance.

Weiss returned the cane to its place and looked down at the pile of books, deciding to inspect them in search of explanations.

 _An Anthology of Civilizations, Vol. III_

 _The Valean Account: A Historical Recounting of the Final Dynasty_

 _War of the Four Kingdoms, by Arlyn Rosanna_

 _The Grimm Compendium: A Study of the Beasts_

" _Echoes of the Past": The Bygone Epics_

 _Rituals, Mythos, and You: Understanding Indigenous Cultures_

 _A History of Dust, by General Garland Schnee_

Weiss paused over the title of the last book, tracing her finger over the familiar name, before hearing Yang mumble in confusion.

"The hell is this?" she whispered, bringing Weiss' attention to her.

"What did you find?"

"A bunch of stuff that's weird and creepy. I mean… is that blood?"

Weiss peeked over her shoulder as Yang began pulling out various items. The most prominent of them were the bottles holding various liquids and the vial in Yang's hand did have a deep crimson color. She watched as the brawler gave it a quick shake, its content swirling about in a viscous manner.

"Just put it back!" Weiss whispered, but Yang continued to pull out its contents.

"Not yet! We need to find something to report back with in case he decides to split."

Yang took out another bottle with an amber liquid, uncorking the top before grimacing at the noxious fumes. Deeper and deeper into the bag, the brawler pulled out more and more items, stopping at a curious blue vial. The words on the label were faded beyond recognition and the liquid itself gave an unnatural glow. Yang looked over the items and finally turned to Weiss.

"We're taking some of this," Yang spoke as she began to place the items back into the bag.

" _What!?"_ Weiss whispered harshly.

"If he decides to run, we'll at least have evidence to bring back to Ozpin. It won't be much, but it'll be _something_."

"Or nothing, depending on my temperament."

Weiss and Yang spun around to find Sibyll standing behind them, resting against the door. His arms were crossed his chest, his expression neutral to the intruders in his room. Weiss internally cursed Yang for putting them into their current position. Yang only stared back at Sibyll, trying to formulate a way out. But the room itself had been quiet and both girls wondered how we had found them without alerting them of his presence.

"May I?" he asked as he held out his hand. Yang looked at the small vial in her hand before tossing it back to the young hunter. He caught it mid-air, briefly looking at it before pocketing it away.

"Miss Rose spoke highly of you two," Sibyll began to say as his eyes returned to the girls, settling them primarily on Weiss.

"She would always go on about how graceful and composed her partner is. She talked about the way you carried a sense of propriety, yet yearned to break free of your inhibitions. She wanted to be the one to closest to you because she cared deeply about her friendship."

Sibyll turned his gaze towards Yang.

"In regards to her sister, she was adamant in portraying you as one of her personal heroes. Putting aside the details of your more audacious attributes, she believed you to be the most capable in her family. An older sister who cared for her as a mother would is truly admirable. I can tell that she loves you dearly and that you would stand by her side in return."

The room fell quiet as the two girls allowed his words to think in. Sibyll suddenly stepped away from the door, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade. His orange eyes seemed to flare up, burning with a hint of violence that sent shivers down their spines.

"It would be a shame if she were to suddenly be so _disheartened_ ," Sibyll warned.

Yang's eyes turned red, her hair beginning to glow.

"Is that supposed to be some sort of threat?" she questioned.

They shared a silent battle, testing the other's intensity to a point where Yang actively began raising the room's temperature. Weiss reached out to her in an attempt to warn her of her surroundings, forcing the brawler to cool down. Sibyll kept his eyes on her but removed his weapon slowly, leaning it against the wall as a show of good faith.

"It was not meant to be perceived as such," he began. "I am merely stating that she would be disappointed with your approach when she has yet to persuade me."

Yang's eyes grew wide. "How… how did you…"

Sibyll pointed to the two of them. "They were your own words. I simply chanced upon your conversation when I returned."

The young hunter began to remove his coat, stepping off to the side.

"I will overlook this incident if you promise to not go through my belongings. There are things you are oblivious to and I wish for it to remain that way, if not for your sake. Please…"

For a split moment, both Yang and Weiss saw weariness in his eyes as his expression softened. There was something genuine in his plea to maintain his privacy, despite how suspicious his motives began to grow. Yang had seen that expression once before, when her uncle had brought news of their mother's death. She felt the familiar sense of resignation with the person before her, burdened by something he could only bear. His eyes returned to their sharpened gazed as he extended a hand forth to Yang.

"I assure you that I will not steal away into the night, not with the beast lurking outside these walls. It would be dishonorable to my Oath if I were to run, so I swear on my name that I am not your enemy and you are not mine."

Yang looked at his extended hand.

"To be honest, I don't trust you," she finally admitted. "You got close to my sister. Close enough where she's struggling with herself on trusting you. I don't know if you were using her to get to Ozpin or if you're really the good guy she makes you out to be…"

The brawler approached Sibyll, ignoring his hand, and allowing her eyes to shift red for emphasis.

"But if you **ever** do anything to hurt her again… I will end you."

Sibyll allowed his hand to drop and made his way to the door, opening it for them.

"And I cannot blame you for your distrust. It was not my proudest moment nor did I wish for her to experience my faults firsthand. But we cannot change what already had come to past, only that we can work together until everything is resolved."

He motioned towards the door.

"Until then, I wish you both a good night's rest."

Yang stared at him a few moments more before moving past him, nodding for Weiss to follow. Sibyll watched as they made their exit and began to close the door before a pale hand stopped him. His eyes looked down to meet an icy blues, intently studying him.

"What did you and that Bloody Beast talk about?" she asked.

"You mean Mister Taurus? We shared many subjects but I do not believe you are privy to such details," the young hunter replies. The heiress' glare intensifies, squinting indignantly at his response. Sibyll simply nods before closing the door and locking it for the night.

* * *

The night itself was quiet as Blake's eyes scanned the tree line. Hours had passed and gentle peace had gone undisturbed for the town. Night vision was one of the few traits of her heritage she was proud of, allowing her to work in the dark unhindered. Standing vigilant alongside the other night guards, Blake felt a sense of accomplishment despite her small role. In a way, she found herself reminded of the White Fang's more peaceful days: people banning together to protect something they valued. But she was a hopeful volunteer then. She could strive to make more a difference as a Huntress but the inner question remains: how?

She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to find another guard reporting in.

"Dawn is close. I suggest you catch some rest and have someone take your place," he said as he returned to his post.

Blake stretched out her limbs and began to make her way down from the walls and into the town's streets. Yang had sent her directions to where she was staying and began to follow the roads. The young woman could only hope Ruby wouldn't be lost on her way back as well, given how dark the streets had become.

"What do you think?" a voice asks around the corner.

"I don't know… I just don't like the idea of the White Fang being this far out," another replies.

Blake catches on to the conversation and presses her back against the wall. Sidling to the building's edge, she peeks out to find two guards on break, conversing with each other.

"You don't think he's here to recruit the kids, do you?"

"I would hate to think so… but with the rumors about the city and how desperate the Fang are becoming… I just want them to keep us out of it."

"It's hard with _anything_ involving the Faunus nowadays. I mean, the other towns don't mind us but what if a war breaks out? I—We don't want to go back. And I don't want that life for my son…"

"Tch, you're not the only one. I've got a husband at home who's worried about every time I go on watch. He thinks the Fang'll come during the night and kidnap the guards, forcing us into their ranks."

"…Do they?"

"Well we're still here, so just put it out of your mind. As long as he's locked up, he won't cause trouble for us. The kids will hand him over to the proper authorities and we can go back to tending to ourselves… Come on, break's over."

Blake heard the guards depart and stepped from out from cover the coast was clear. Down the road stood another set of pair guarding a small reinforced building where she assumed Adam was being held. Her thoughts about his reappearance after so long were varied, but she knew it was more than coincidence. Sibyll had confirmed it himself when he acknowledged that everyone had come to find him, though their goals stood at the opposing spectrum. More questions rose over the White Fang's interests in Sibyll, counting Roman Torchwick's involvement an unsolved variable. Adam wouldn't be open to answer their questions… be maybe he would for an old friend?

Blake made her way over to the building, the guards coming to attention at her approach.

"I need to speak with the prisoner," she stated with as much authority as she could. Both men looked at each other nervously before turning back to her.

"I don't think we have the authority to let you…" one of them said meekly.

"And even if we _did_ , what makes you think we can trust **you**?" the other asked. "We heard you out there when you fought. Whatever your intentions are, we find it hard to believe. So just who are you?"

Blake sized up the guard, noting the large muscular build underneath the leather armor and the tense grip around the hilt of a sword. He appeared strong but his large frame would make him slow. His companion, much thinner and spry, had her hands trembling around the shaft of a spear. With the smaller guard being the weakest of the pair, Blake concluded that she could subdue both of them if necessary. But she knew it would only be detrimental to her cause.

"I used to be one of them…" she confirmed quietly. The male guard's grip tightened on his is weapon, keen on drawing his blade, before his partner intervened.

"But I left that life behind," Blake continued. "If someone from the White Fang is this far from the kingdom, he needs to be questioned before he refuses to cooperate with the authorities. He'll open up to someone he can relate to."

She looked between the two guards as they shared another look.

"I didn't think that Beacon would allow 'former-extremists' in," the male guard added.

"Only the ones who want to redeem themselves," she retorted.

The male guard made to refuse the proposal, but his partner interjected.

"Five minutes, okay? After that, we'll pretend this didn't happen. We have our work like you do," she said as she stepped aside.

The man next to her wanted to say something, but trusted the decision of his partner and stepped aside. Blake nodded and entered the building to find a bare room divided by metal bars. A worn cot remained in the cell, a small courtesy for those who didn't want to sleep on the cold, stone floor. But as far as kindness went, that was all within the room aside from a metal bucket in the cell's corner. The door closed behind her as she approached the divider, finding Adam sitting against the wall. Blake couldn't tell if Adam was aware of her presence, his mask hiding any indication and the young woman called out to him.

"Adam."

He didn't stir at the call of his name and Blake approached the bars, kneeling to meet his eyes. Adam looked the same as the day she left him, still wearing his "brood suit" that would go along with his scowl. But despite his detached disposition, he was _something_ to her.

" _But is that enough though?"_ she thought.

She abandoned him and their cause when the violence grew too great. Even after he had opened up to her, given her the benefits of training her, Blake decided to turn away when he changed beyond a doubt. Blake was convinced their past would be enough but Adam retaliated unprovoked. He didn't falter with his strikes against her and openly marked her as a traitor. Did she truly lack the conviction to back her words?

"Where did things go wrong?" she whispered to herself.

"The moment you decided to betray us."

Blake looked up to find Adam watching her, his head tiled just slightly. Even with the mask, she could feel his eyes on her filled with contempt. Adam stood up from his place, keeping away from the bars as if she were something to be wary of. And Blake couldn't blame him for thinking of her as such.

"You didn't give me a choice…"

"Tell yourself whatever's necessary to ease your guilt," he responds as he turns his back to her. Blake's hands held the cold bars tightly in her hands.

"That isn't fair Adam," she pleaded. "You promised no one would get hurt and that we were only sending them a message."

"We were."

"But in blood?!" she shouted back. "I understand that there are people who hate us, who think of us as animals. But that isn't everyone! And even then, they have families who depend on them!"

Adam remains silent, refusing to look at her.

" _Refusing to acknowledge the truth,"_ Blake thought as she allowed her head to drop. Cold steel pressed upon her temples as the silence sets in between them, struggling to find the next words.

"I couldn't do it Adam," she finally said. "Call me a coward if you want, because maybe I am one. I couldn't keep going with the way things changed in the White Fang… the way you changed."

"So you refuse to fight. You choose to let them walk all over our brothers and sisters," Adam countered.

"That's the thing Adam," Blake stated as she looked up to him. "I didn't stop fighting. I still want to change how things for the better. But I'm going to do it my way."

"And what 'way' would that be?"

"I don't know. But that's for **me** to figure out."

Adam turns to her, slowly approaching the bars and standing close enough for Blake to reach out and touch him. His hands reach up and hold onto the bars, just about where her hands were rested.

"What did you come here for Blake?" he asked. His voice cut through all the semantics, all the "what if's" and alternatives to their situations. Blake wasn't talking to Adam anymore, not with the blunt approach of his question. She is addressing the White Fang now with all of its business-like detachment.

"What is your business with Sibyll?" she finally asks. If she couldn't get through to Adam with their past companionship, she would address him as something she strives to be: a huntress.

"It doesn't concern you," he retorts.

"But it concerns **you** and the White Fang's involvement with yet another human. I mean, why Roman Torchwick in the first place? He doesn't care for anyone but himself, so why cooperate with him?"

"Because sometimes it's necessary to work with the people we hate."

"Even when the Breach caused all those members to be trapped with the Grimm?"

"They were… necessary sacrifices."

Blake frowned at his response. "Are those your words? Or the Fang's?"

"It doesn't matter," Adam responds quickly. "What does matter is that you keep out of our way if you want to pursue your hopeless endeavor. You're still a traitor Blake, and the White Fang can't have any loose ends that will get in our way."

Blake knew he was evading her questions, using his answers to divert attention away from the White Fang's connections. It was one of the first few things he'd taught her and Blake had caught on to it before he could gain ground.

"But why Sibyll specifically?" she countered. "Unlike Torchwick, the man has nothing to offer you or the White Fang. So why did they send **you** to go after **him**?"

"Whether or not he's useful doesn't matter. Our associate believes he's a valuable asset and the higher ups agree. I don't agree with it but if he can fight on par with infamous Ozpin, then I'm returning with him."

" _Infamous?"_ Blake thought. But her mind caught onto a detail of surety in Adam's words.

"You really think he'll come along with you?" she questioned.

"He already agreed."

Blake froze at his words.

The implications of his statement would not only mean that the White Fang had gained an ally, but that the man they were supposed to bring back had already decided for himself. Sibyll had chosen to side with Adam, despite the claims Weiss and they had made. She remembered the video Ozpin had shown them, how proficient of a hunter Sibyll had been despite the handicap of lacking aura. There was a ferocious way Sibyll moved that was exactly like… Adam's.

"There's no way he could have," Blake tried to reaffirm. But as Adam shook her head, she knew the severity of the situation had grown.

"It's already been discussed; our causes are aligned and we'll be leaving after all this is over, one way or another."

The sound of a door opening brought their attention away as the female guard came into view.

"That's all the time we can give you miss. It's best you head on back now," she advised.

Blake looked back at Adam in disbelief. His expression remained unchanged but she knew his words had conviction and truth behind them. She had worked with him long enough to know when his words rang true. But his words now forewarned of a trouble they might be unable to avoid. Blake turned and began to walk away when Adam spoke up one final time.

"It's better that he comes with me anyways Blake."

Blake turned her head slightly, keeping him in the corner of her eye.

"He's dangerous and you're only putting yourself at risk by bringing him with you."

"Is that supposed to be reassuring coming from you?" she asked.

"No, I'm just stating how it is."

Adam turned back to his cell, allowing himself to sit against the wall as he had done so before. Blake walked out of the building, hearing the door close shut behind her as she made her way to Cormack's home. Her thoughts buzzed with confusion and anxiousness in sharing what she learned. As a huntress, she was bound by her duty to stop anything that posed as a possible threat. But if Ruby were to find out… it would destroy her.

Blake arrived at the quiet house as dawn began to light the town. Entering as quietly as she could, she followed the corridor where she heard the sound of her teammates changing shifts. She enters the room to find Yang rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as she began getting dressed. Weiss, being the most efficient early riser, was taking stock of her dust and Ruby began to dress for bed. The young reaper's eyes found hers, sharing a joined feeling of reprieve after staying up all night.

"You look a little worse for wear. Everything okay Blake?" Ruby asked as she gave a tired yawn. Blake clasped her hands together, struggling with the idea of what would happen if they were to know. Yang picked up on her hesitancy and approached her, resting a firm hand on her shoulder for reassurance.

"What's up?" Yang asked, concern beginning to grow.

Blake's eyes returned to the tired girl that was her leader, drowsy but attentive to her team's needs. The young faunus took a deep breath, knowing of the fallout that was soon to come.

"Ruby…"

* * *

Sibyll looked over his supplies, deciding which to take in today's excursion. With the only survivor of a missing group already found, the newest objective was to find the Alpha and slay it before any more damage can be done. The young hunter knew their efforts can focus on tracking the beast, but the trip would be long and it demanded him to be fully prepared. Sibyll decided to maximize his throwing knives count, making sure his blood vials and quicksilver bullets were secure, and pocketed a few elixirs to help mask his presence. He packed away a few Molotovs and oil urns in a separate bag Cormack had lent him and placed it carefully on the bed. He fastened his shirt and vest securely, donning his coat, and slipping on his leather boots to finish his ensemble. The young hunter turned to the Messengers watching from his bed, holding his arms out to present himself.

"So, how do I look?" he asks.

The Messengers simply watched him, their expressions remaining unreadable as always. Sibyll looked down at his attire and give his coattails a quick shake.

"I believe I look satisfactory," Sibyll commented for his sake.

He strapped on Chikage snugly by his side and tucked away his firearm within his coat. Shouldering the small bag, Sibyll tucked the rest of his supplies away and stashed them under the borrowed bed, leaving the Threaded Cane by the bedside table. He couldn't lock the room himself from the outside but he was wary of the young girls' suspicion of him. It depended on honoring their words but the young hunter knew their eyes were set on him. He could only hope they wouldn't pry too much as he stepped out into the hall and into the kitchen.

The table was occupied by Chisa, Ruby and Blake (still dressed in their sleepwear) as Cormack worked on fixing brunch. Sibyll greeted them good morning as he took his seat next to the youngest girl, giving her head a tender pat. Blake simply gave him a nod, but refused to meet his eye. He found it odd that she would remain so silent but decided it was him who made her uneasy. His eyes looked over at Ruby briefly and found her struggling to remain composed. Her usual half smile was often endearing, attributing to charming lack of grace the girl had. But Sibyll felt as if she was struggling to hold back her sadness whenever she looked at him. He had avoided her for the better part of previous night, but he had done so for both their sake. To be this close and not be able to console her had created a small pain within his chest.

"Sleep well?" Cormack asked as he set down a plate of food in front of him.

"I have. Thank you for asking," the young hunter replies as he pours himself some coffee. Chisa had left her breakfast half finished as she disappeared into the hall, only to return with a book and took her seat once more; moving it closer to Sibyll as she placed the book between them.

"Oh, I've almost forgotten. The committee wanted to thank you for your hard work for the past few weeks. It's not much and not what you're looking for, but they hope it is close enough," Cormack said as he took his seat.

Sibyll looked down at the book's title as Chisa watched him expectantly.

 _The Cryptid Encyclopedia: Ancient Creatures of Days Long Past_

"It will do. I will be sure to give my thanks personally," Sibyll replied as he opened the book to a random page. Chisa sat up in her seat, looking at the photos of strange creatures set in blocky text.

"You… get paid in books?" Ruby asks carefully. Sibyll looked up as the young reaper who decided to brave the awkward atmosphere and initiated a conversation with him. He gave her a small shrug before smiling down back at the book.

"Not necessarily. It is the knowledge within the books that I am after. There is much for me to learn, so I bartered my skills in return for texts and tomes. When I am finished, I return them to their owners."

"We tried getting him to accept the monetary reward but he's been stubborn about turning it down," Cormack added. Sibyll only shook his head but said nothing as he studied about a particular creature which feeds primarily on goats.

"Why turn down the pay?" Ruby asks once more. But it was Chisa who spoke up in his favor as she watched him turn the page.

"He says he doesn't need it. That he tries to be self-suh… self…'suh-fishes' without it."

"The word is 'self-sufficient' but that was very good effort in trying little one," Sibyll praises. Chisa smiles widely and turns to her father to find him in agreement.

"So you sustain yourself by plying your skills," Blake observed and Sibyll nodded.

"While currency may have its uses, it is merely a castoff luxury when survival was a main concern where I have come from. One's work decided if the following day would be promised but nothing was guaranteed, especially when the coin's only use was to guide the way back."

"Wait… you mean to say you knew people who _threw_ money away?" Ruby asked.

It was a strange notion to both Ruby and Blake. Who would do something so bizarre as to cast away something that guaranteed one's livelihood? And he had mentioned the use of coins. The kingdoms long discarded old representations with the unified introduction of Lien, but Sibyll claimed he used them as breadcrumbs.

"Is that so unusual?" Sibyll countered as he paused in his study to look at them. Chisa had continued in his stead, stopping at an entry she found surprising.

"Well yes, considering that all of Remnant uses it in daily life," Blake concluded. But both girls saw Sibyll struggling with a detail they considered mundane.

"Sibyll," Ruby began, "what kind of place would let its people do that?"

"The kind where chaos and ruin are already seated," Sibyll spoke darkly.

His words were ominous but he knew them to be the truth. Behind every closed door in Yharnam, Sibyll could here the dissent of order and sanity. Violence in screams filled the air and he could naught but listen as the cries began to die one by one until there was none. And it was the silence that was heaviest when he walked those streets one last time. All the derisive hostility, the wariness, the single source of help was gone in the course of the night. Every now and then, Sibyll found pieces of humanity smothered by the violence and blood. He had picked up his fair share of shining coins off the cobbled path as the wealth of the city lost its luster. It must have been something grand before all the madness.

"That's impossible," Blake finally stated. "The kingdoms would know if any of the outside settlements fell to Grimm incursions. Any prolonged lack of communication would have hinted at danger and Huntsmen and Huntresses would have been sent to settle the situation. We haven't lost any of the established settlements in the last fifty years."

"That does not mean any place is infallible."

"But to the extent of which you claim!?"

Sibyll couldn't help but notice frantic way Blake spoke. He could understand her disbelief but he had seen it first hand even **before** Yharnam. Pain surged through his head over the thought of having forgotten something…something very important but it escapes him. If only he could remember, but he couldn't. The rest of his memories would return in due time, so he hoped.

"I did not mean to upset you. But what I have said is true and it may happen again."

Deciding he had his fill of breakfast, Sibyll stood up and made for the door.

"As always, thank you for the meal Cormack," he said before he heard quick footsteps follow after him, Chisa tugging at his hand.

"Sibyll, wait! You can't leave without your good luck charm!" she said as she pulled out a piece of cloth from her pocket. It was the same one he had borrowed many times before to keep the blood off his face. Chisa beckoned him down to her level and he complied. She wrapped the cloth around his neck, tying it securely before checking it once over. Satisfied with her work, she gave him a tight hug around his neck and the young hunter returned the gesture.

"Ah, how could I forget?"

"It's because you always come back late and sleep in," she admonished. Sibyll simply smiled at her, giving her cheeks a brief pinch (much to her dislike) and set off for the day. He followed the roads towards the command center, taking his time as he overheard some concerned voices.

"How's Moira been doing? Getting any better?"

"Worse… Her fever took a bad turn and she started thrashing out. A few of the orderlies tried to restrain her but she ended up biting them."

"It's that bad?"

"Yeah, but they cleaned the bites and sent them home. We can only hope she can get through this."

"…You don't think she's contagious, do you?"

"Don't be an idiot! We've treated people with bites like these before and they came out find. They doctors are doing what they can to stop the infection and reduce the fever, the rest is on her. And don't go around spreading notions like that. You'll scare the children."

Sibyll proceeded to walk by, taking a different turn onto another street and found himself in front of the town's medical center. The building itself was large enough to house many if necessary but remained sparse in its patients. The ward itself housed a few recovering from broken bones or small illnesses. Sibyll didn't find the woman resting alongside them and decided to confirm her condition himself. Keeping out of sight, Sibyll walked the hallways as he checked for rooms she could be detained in. But he found it much stranger that she couldn't be found in the immediate area.

Hearing someone coming up quick behind him, Sibyll hid within a room as a nurse ushered passed worriedly. He could hear her trying to page the resident doctor but he was able to only grasp a few key words and phrases.

Unnaturally high fever…

Strange blood tests...

Agitation…

Changing features…

Security…

Basement…

After hearing her disappear down the corridor, the young hunter traced her path back to a pair of double doors leading down beneath the building. Cautiously, he made his way down, making sure to mask his footsteps upon his descent. A final set of doors waited at the bottom but Sibyll found them locked securely with lock and chain. The small glass window provided very little view into the room but he could see the state the woman was from the door.

Leather straps tied down her elongated limbs, scruffs of fur already forming on her forearms. Her short hair was messy, damp with sweat as her head tossed about in agony, a gag in her mouth to prevent her from self harm. Her horns appeared to have changed in shape, it's once curled shape seemed for jagged and chipped. Low moans came from the room, her limbs occasionally struggling against the straps but to no avail.

" _This is much worse than I anticipated,"_ Sibyll thought to himself.

She had the traits of one afflicted with scourge of the beast and, if left unattended, she would grow more difficult to handle. His hand gripped the hilt of weapon tightly as his prey was just a small distance away. Sibyll knew he would end it here, dispose of the creature while he still could and deal with the Alpha afterwards. It would be a swift and merciful end.

But she had bitten others.

And if others were infected as well, Sibyll knew he needed them in one place. He wouldn't chance any further contamination and the only way to do that would be complete quarantine. But who, in good conscience, would condemn their family to that? Especially at the behest of a stranger? Sibyll needed someone to convince them, to help them understand that this is **necessary** if they wish to survive. He heard footsteps beginning to approach and Sibyll made his way out from the basement and hid behind a wall's partition. A doctor and a few other nurses followed, paying him no mind as he exited the building to meet with the rest.

* * *

Ruby looked about the command center to find all of her and Coco's team in attendance, going over today's roles and objectives. Sibyll had stood off to the side, answering whenever necessary but remaining aloof altogether.

She didn't want to believe what Blake had told when their shift ended earlier that morning. Ruby refused to believe that Sibyll would side with the White Fang but the rest of her team are already convinced. Weiss seemed to keen on calling for Ozpin's immediate intervention, willing to disregard their mission if it meant having Adam and Sibyll in custody. Blake agreed with her suggestion but Yang wanted a more physical approach. It had taken all three of them to hold her back from going down the hall and beating him into submission. With the situation becoming what it is, all four girls struggled with their next plan of action due to their leader's reluctance.

And a part of Ruby still believed she could convince him.

Even as the rest of her team pleaded that they work with Coco and her team to subdue him, the young reaper wanted her chance to confirm for herself. She could have used her authority against them but Ruby felt she needed to at least try. So made a deal with them:

If Ruby couldn't convince Sibyll to reconsider his decision by the day's end, they would call for reinforcements as they and CFVY subdued him.

"Alright, let's go over our roles and then we'll break," Coco stated to the surrounding members.

"Weiss and Yatsu will cover the southern walls. Blake and Yang, you two are to the east while Ruby and I cover the west. Velvet and Fox will be accompany Sibyll for today's hunt and we'll reconvene again at dusk with what they find. Any objections?"

"Ah! Um…!" Ruby spoke out. The whole group turned to her and Ruby felt the odd need to raise her hand in front of her peers.

"I was wondering if I could participate in today's excursion to find the Alpha. Maybe Fox and I could switch places?" the young reaper asked.

Coco arched a brow over her request and looked over to her partner, finding the blind hunter shrugging with indifference.

"May I ask _why_ for the last minute switch?" Coco asked, finding Ruby struggling to come up with a credible excuse. Coco arranged the teams to maximize versatility and while the change wouldn't change much, it piqued her interest nonetheless.

"Well… You see, I… um…" Ruby struggled before she felt a hand rest on her shoulder. She turned to Sibyll stand beside her, giving her a look of acknowledgment.

"I must agree with the request," Sibyll added. "Should we find anything that may pose as a danger, Miss Rose and Miss Scarlatina would be the swiftest of company in warning the town. I can stall the beasts in their stead but it is best to notify and prep the town if necessary."

Ruby silently thanked him as Coco mulled over the suggestion in her head, before giving them a nod of confirmation.

"Alright then, Fox your with me. Everyone knows their roles so stick to it. Should anything go wrong, alert the other guards and use your smoke flares if necessary. See you all in a few hours."

The group began to split as Velvet and Ruby stood by each other, watching the rest go.

"Excuse me for a moment. There is something I wish to speak with Miss Adel about. It will not take long," Sibyll said to the pair as he called after Coco. Ruby watched as he pulled her to the side, speaking low tones and handing her folding parchment. She couldn't pick up on what they were saying but from Fox's confused expression and Coco's stern look, it didn't appear to be anything good.

"Hey Velvet, do you happen to know what they're talking about?" Ruby asked the older girl. Velvet's ears twitched as she picked up bits of the private conversation, but she too had a look of worry on her face.

"He's asking Coco if she could… get the town to quarantine the woman that was brought in the other day…And the others she bitten as well…"

"Why would he want to do that?" Ruby inquired further.

"I don't know, but Coco doesn't see to like it. Even with the proof he's given her, she doesn't appear to agree with what he's asking of her."

"Proof?"

"Something about an assurance that he isn't lying about whatever he's written down. It seems… dire."

Velvet and Ruby shared a look as Sibyll finished and approached them.

"I apologize for the delay. Shall we depart?" Sibyll asked Ruby. He had given her lead, trusting her to take command over their excursion. He **trusted** her but she couldn't same the same in return. Sibyll nodded her on, following after her when she began to make their way out of the town and into the dense tree line.

Time passed as the trio tracked the Alpha's whereabouts, careful to remain silent in their search. They had gone much deeper into the forest than anticipated as the signs of destruction lead them further away from town. The barks of trees had deep gashes from large claws, but they found the evaporating remains of Grimm more settling. They classes of Grimm varied but unanimously devoured in a vicious manner. Discovering that the Alpha had turn cannibalistic was unsettling for the trio, finding more and more remains of the hunted brethren.

Concerns of returning became a small point of conversation as the weighed the choices of continuing forth or turning back. Ruby knew that the further they were from the town, the more dangerous the trip back would be. As the trio decided to take a break, Ruby decided to put the decision to a vote.

"We've found as much as we could but so far, the Alpha seems to be moving faster than we can track it. If you think we should go back, then we will," Ruby said as she shared a canteen of water with them.

"I think that would be for the best," Velvet agreed. "If we haven't found it so far then we should double back and report just that. There's no need to overexert ourselves."

"What do you think Sibyll?" Ruby asked, turning to the young hunter. But his eyes studied the surrounding area as her words fell unnoticed. Orange orbs absorbed all the colors around them as they darted back and forth, his body remaining still. Sibyll had been quiet the entire trip, leaving the conversation between Ruby and Velvet awkwardly brief. She could had guessed he was being vigilant for their sakes but the young reaper felt his eyes seemed to be watching something that wasn't there. An almost faraway gaze searching for something she couldn't find.

"Sibyll?" she asked once more, successfully bringing his attention to her.

"Forgive me, my mind was elsewhere. What can I help you with young miss?"

 _Young miss_ … Ruby's heart ached with the endearment he put in his words as his eyes watched her. She knew she had to speak with him before it was beyond her grasp.

"I was just wondering if you wanted to head back," she asked once more. The young hunter rubbed his stubbled chin in thought and nodded.

"I believe that would be the best course of action. But maybe we should take a break before we depart. I will keep watch while the two of you recuperate," Sibyll suggested as he dusted off his coat. He made to walk a distance away before the young girl stopped him, grabbing onto the back of his coat.

"Actually, there's something I need to talk to you about…" Ruby admitted before turning to Velvet. "I don't mean to put this all on you Velvet, but can I have a moment with Sibyll? It's about… you know…"

Velvet looked at her with concern, knowing the difficulty Ruby is tasked with and nodded. She was their contingency in bringing him back to Beacon but if Sibyll was already aware of their motives, it was up to her to convince him to come along peacefully.

"I'll kept to the treetops and let you know if I find anything," Velvet said. She bent knees slightly before jumping up into the canopy above, moving a fair distance away. Ruby was finally left alone with Sibyll, nervousness taking its hold as he watched her curiously. She struggled to form an opening question until she was ushered to sit next to him against a nearby tree.

"Take your time," he said.

Ruby took a deep breath before finally addressing the topic which would define the moments to follow.

"What happened that day Sibyll?"

It wasn't the question she wanted to ask, it was something she needed to know. The nightmares still haunted her and Ruby wanted to hear it from him. Not speculations or observations from other people but the truth straight from him. Sibyll deflated a little at her question as it was going to be asked eventually. Ruby watched the nervousness in his hands, his fingers rubbing each other for comfort.

"I went mad," Sibyll stated simply.

"What do you mean?"

The young hunter ran his hand through his ashen hair, doing his best to avoid meeting her eyes.

"I lost all control over rationality and sanity for the sake of the fight."

"Does… does this happen often?"

"No but I am always at risk of it. I was put in a position where I feared for my well being and allowed myself to react violently. You may think as if I were a cornered animal in the presence of a predator."

Ruby pulled her cloak about her tightly, drawing up her knees, and holding them close to her. Sibyll crossed him arms tightly, trying to seek security in the pressure.

"You really scared me…you know?"

"I am truly sorry young miss. I never wanted you to see me in such a horrible manner but you were able to save your uncle from a terrible fate. And in turn, you saved me."

" **That's not true!"**

Ruby turned to face him, kneeling on the soft earth. Her voice wavered in her declaration and her body slowly began to shake.

"I **killed** you Sibyll!" Ruby shouted, never meaning to. "I saw you die! If 'saving you' meant that what I did was right, then I didn't! And here you are acting like it was a good thing! Do you know what that did to me!? Even when I started having nightmares and doubts and—and—!"

She struggled to catch breath as her chest shook with each quickened inhaled. She could feel all her worries and fears swirl about her heart as she held herself tightly. With hyperventilation setting in, Ruby was afraid of losing her sense of self control until she felt a hand rest against her chest. Sibyll applied pressure, willing her breathing to slow but kept his eyes on hers.

"Deep breaths," he advised her.

Ruby began to work on leveling her breathing, Sibyll guiding her into a stable and calm state. Her once erratic breaths evened out and Ruby felt his hands move to rest on her shoulders, giving her a firm squeeze.

"Tell me everything that has happened," Sibyll spoke.

And Ruby allowed everything to spill with abandon.

Sibyll listened patiently, bearing everything from her sadness to her fears and anger. He allowed her to express it physically if she saw fit, hitting him ineffectually, yelling at him, crying all the while. Ruby cursed him, throwing every expletive she learned from Yang and a few other names she deemed appropriate (a "cruddy, lying, jerk face" being one of them). She **hated** what he did to her because **Sibyll is her friend**. She missed him and his stupid, formal way of talking with people to a point she thought he was more awkward than her. She missed studying alongside him and his old-timey sense of humor she sometimes didn't understand. Ruby had just gotten her friend back and was about to lose him **again**.

"Sibyll, you _need_ to come back with us to Beacon," she stated, hoping for her words to sink in.

"If you don't, we won't have any choice but force you ourselves. I don't want that, I don't want to fight you! So please… if you really **are** my friend, just come with us. I'll do my best to protect you, I promise."

Sibyll looked at the young girl pleading with him to stand down and turn himself in. He saw the desperation in her eyes, trying to help him for both their sake. His only friend in this strange world begged him for something he couldn't do. He let out a heavy sigh and begins to stand, brushing off the dirt on his coat.

"That I cannot allow," he stated.

Red blurred in front of his eyes as he felt a sting flash across his face. Sibyll looks down to find Ruby rubbing her wrist as rose petals began to flutter towards the ground, her expression furious.

"But you'll go to the White Fang instead!?" she yelled.

Sibyll found himself surprised at the young girl's claim. He was sure no one had known but if she knew…

" _Adam's former accomplice must have spoken privately with him,"_ he thought as he nodded in response. Sibyll felt another sting strike across his other cheek, hearing a soft spoken "ouch" as Ruby began to massage her other wrist.

"I can't help you if you make yourself out to be our enemy!" Ruby scolded.

"But I am not your enemy."

"Siding with the White Fang pretty much makes you one Sibyll! As much as I don't like fighting against them, they actively hurt people as a means to stand above them. I mean, what could they have that would make you join them?!"

"A way to save your kingdom."

Ruby paused mid-slap at his words and looked up to him. He gently guided her hand down as he continued.

"I do not know when you came that knowledge or how it was told to you. I only wish you understand that it is necessary that I cooperate with Mister Taurus, should I wish to succeed," he spoke with determination. "And it begins with the bite victims."

Ruby frowned at his words.

"What do you mean?" she carefully asked.

"The ones who are bitten carry a plague which pose a great threat to your kingdom if not taken care of. As a Hunter, it is my oath bound duty to ensure that does not happen. But even then, the situation here is much larger than I could have expected."

"But… does this mean you have a cure to help them?"

Sibyll saw the glint of hope in her eyes, hoping that he redeem himself from his intent to join Adam's side. That maybe, just maybe, he was truly the good she believed him to be.

And the young hunter wanted that.

Wanted so desperately to be prove her highly placed expectations right and that his actions in the past were justified. Every drop of blood he ever spilled would be have been in the name of righteousness and his sins would be forgiven. All those people who cried mercy, begging for their lives (or to be left alone), and fell before his blade would be justified as a good thing. Just like the Healing Church, his work was for the good of the people, for the good of himself.

But there were no such things as "good or bad" hunters. Even with the moral transgression from both the Church and Cainhurst, Sibyll knew there were only two types of Hunters left: the sane or the forsaken.

"…I do not…"

Ruby felt the confusion sink in over his words. Her mind ran over the possibilities of helping the woman that didn't involve medicinal means. Qrow had once told her of the ways one could tend to the sick using aura but it was only to the extent of keeping the patient stable. She could place a call over at Beacon requesting medical assistance and if she could just gauge what the illness was, she could have Ozpin send it over. Even if it would take a while for support to arrive to the town, she could gamble on the sick hanging in there. But she felt an odd chill over the sense of regret in Sibyll words. Even as she saw him, his pained look was apparent as he gripped the handle of his weapon tight. He was restraining himself, but from what? What was it that he didn't want to tell her? How could he help if he didn't have…any…medicine…

Ruby's eyes grew wide as she eyed Sibyll's weapons and met his gaze, hoping she was wrong. When he looked back just as evenly, she began to feel sick in her stomach.

"But they're only sick!" Ruby tried to reason. "They'll get better with treatment from the capital if necessary. I can let Ozpin know and he can send doctors this way to help out!"

"I am afraid that there is nothing your headmaster or advanced medicines can do to save them. I am sorry but it is already too late."

"We haven't even tried Sibyll! There has to be a way!"

" **There is no other way Ruby!"**

The young reaper recoiled from his voice. It was the first she ever heard him call her by her name, let alone raise it so such a degree that it shook her. His words carried a sense of intent and… melancholy.

Sibyll's face hardened and any trace of the soft spoken and gentle man was gone; he was completely replaced by someone hardened by many battles. Unlike when she round him fighting her uncle, Ruby could feel the intimidation radiating off his body as she suddenly felt smaller in his presence. His sense of authority rivaled that of Goodwitch and Ruby unintentionally flinched away from his form. She wasn't aware how long that moment lasted, but the young reaper found his stern form disappearing as his face was filled with regret once more.

"I have seen towns burned down to nothing, cities silenced of its people, and families torn apart because of that damnable disease. I have been witness to much destruction and I was _**powerless**_ then. What I wish to stop is incurable and, with one other exception, a swift end is the only way. It is my duty as a Hunter, even if you do not understand…"

" _He's killed people before,"_ Ruby's thoughts rang. She had killed him once and it had tore at her conscience ever since. But the way Sibyll spoke made it seem he had killed many and still seemed capable of holding himself together.

"But you said there was an exception. M-Maybe that could help!?"

Sibyll shook his head.

"Even if I could, it is not within my authority to say. I once answered to a higher power, but that man is gone now… I cannot say much but a swift death is the method which I must enforce. There are no other alternatives."

Ruby shook her head in disbelief, refusing to believe what Sibyll was saying. They were talking about _killing_ innocent people simply because they were sick. She never heard of any towns or cities being decimated due to a disease and if there were ever such a tragedy, everyone would know. Everything Sibyll had claimed was simply unfathomable.

"And the White Fang?" she asked, trying to bridge the connection.

"It appears they are pursuing they very thing I have been searching for. Should they ever lay claim to it, the situation in Addersfield would be greatly dwarfed with a much larger threat within your kingdom's walls. They know nothing of what they seek and it is within my undertaking to ensure **no one** abuses such power."

"But what if…what if that guy is lying to you? What if he's just telling you what you want to hear if it means you join their side?"

Ruby wouldn't put it past the terrorist organization to make unusual moves and collaborations. It could very much be a ploy to bring Sibyll into their plans, despite how counter-intuitive it would be to their cause. Sibyll shook his head once more as his words burned away any doubt she had.

"I have spoken with Mister Taurus and have judged his words to be true. Like you, he struggled to find any merit to my claims. But as we continued to exchange information, we found that all the coincidences in the details became correlations. Despite his dubious past and current ties, I believe that he wishes to destroy the artifact as well if it means saving his people from a terrible fate."

Sibyll began to scan the treetops, keeping an eye out for Velvet's return.

"I hope our talk cleared up a few things," he spoke softly.

"I'm sorry Sibyll… It doesn't."

The young hunter turns to find Ruby's head hung low, eyes kept to the ground as her hands trembled around Crescent Rose's rifle form. He never heard her draw her weapon or hear it shift into its current form, but he knew where her resolve stood. Still, it didn't stop him from smiling at her if not out of the consideration and concern she had held for him.

"That is quite alright Ruby. I would have been more worried if you took in everything I have said with ease. Skepticism keeps you on your toes as it should."

Before Ruby could respond, the duo could hear a low rumbling noise approach them. With it were the snapping and sharp cracks of trees as Velvet rejoined them, landing on a branch above them.

"We've got stampeding Goliaths heading out way! We have to leave now!"

The three of them began to make their escape, trying to distance themselves with the oncoming danger. Even as the ground beneath them began to quake, they pushed themselves as hard as physically possible. But the size of the beasts has given them the advantage of traversing vast distances and began to come into view.

"Ruby! You and Velvet must return to town if you can! If not, place yourselves within the safety of the treetops, preferably one of great size and not easily toppled!" Sibyll shouted over the thunderous noise.

"What about you?" Ruby shouted back.

"I will be fine! Go, now!"

In a flurry of rose petals, Ruby joined Velvet above the forest floor as the two gained a greater distance away in search of safety. Looking over his shoulder, Sibyll could see the beasts charging from behind: huge, black bodies running in formation as their tusks knocked away tree trunks. Reminiscent of an elephant, Sibyll found the sight to be eerie as their red eyes faced forward and he cringed over their high pitched cries. Closer and closer they came, the young hunter forced himself to jump away from the charging masses. He pressed himself against the trunk of the tree as tusks and large footfalls rushed passed him. Some of the beasts turned their heads slightly, discovering his presence but pressed on without a second glance.

Reaching into his pocket, Sibyll pulled out a few bottles of Blue Elixirs and began to drink them. His mind began to buzz, the sound of the stampede dulling as his eyes lost a bit of focus. The young hunter hated the strange mixture for how it affected his mind, but it was a small sacrifice for its secondary effect.

His body began to fade slowly, becoming transparent and blending in with his surroundings. Lifting up on hand, Sibyll felt a small relief when he could see through his physical form into the forest beyond. More and more bodies and tusks grazed the sides of the tree he sought safety with but slowly their numbers began to peter out. Those that straggled behind seemed smaller in size, hurrying after the herd through the wake of their destruction. But Sibyll could finally hear the cause of their disturbance, as staggered breaths and rushed footfalls followed quickly thereafter.

One of the straggling Goliaths became blindsided by a black mass knocking into its side, forcing the beast to fall out of its pace. Limbs struggled to return upright as the beast was suddenly overwhelmed with more bodies tearing at its flesh. Guttural growls and snarls filled the air as the pack of Beowolves fed on the Goliath, one silencing its cry with a jugular slash. Their numbers were few (Sibyll counted five) and their sizes varied with their age, but even the young hunter knew something was off about them. Unlike the others, these few looked fouler and carried numerous wounds all over. Their bone plating appears cracked, their spikes more jagged at the tips. Sibyll picked up their scent and found that they smelled putrid, their injuries festering over. But none of them had the size befitting of the Alpha he once faced. They bared similarities to the description Adam had given him, but they certainly weren't…

Sibyll felt a chill as the sounds of flesh rendered from bone filled the air.

" _So this is the result of the scourge. To think they would change so much... By the gods…"_

His thoughts were masked by how quickly the pack fed, turning their noses to the air and sniffing curiously. Sibyll reached for another elixir, silently uncorking the top as the beasts began to scan their surroundings. Down his throat the liquid went, numbing his mind just enough for him to grasp control. The Beowolves began to spread out, stalking the area for the unseen presence as Sibyll held his breath. The beasts' steps were slow, cautious against disturbing the ground as their red eyes darted about. One of the smaller ones had moved too close the young hunter, stopping just before him as it sniffed the air around them. A menacing growl threatened to reveal him as red eyes looked down at this transparent form. The beast's muzzle moved just inches before him, sniffing him, and a secondary growl followed with bared teeth. But Sibyll's attention focused on the creature's eyes, squinting at him as if unsure… confused…

The silent air was cute by a deafening howl in the distance.

All the beasts turned their heads to the call and began to chase after it, leaving the runt of the pack behind with Sibyll. It turned its head back to him, waiting just long enough to—

 _ **RAGH!**_

The beast barked at him suddenly. The crimson eyes watched as Sibyll remained still, unmoved by the taunt. Believing the young hunter to be a trick of the eyes, the Beowolf Runt turned tail and run after its kin. Sibyll let out his breath as the beast disappeared into the forest. He had been able to avoid a disadvantageous confrontation and slowly made his way to the Goliath's remains.

They made short work of the fallen beasts; unwanted innards and bared ribs remained in the evaporating mess. Sibyll didn't understand why they would cannibalize their own as he learned such creatures rarely fed. Whatever sustained them before had been overruled by a desire to hunt their own. Considering the accounts Adam had told him about the rest of the Grimm evading a perceived threat, Sibyll grimly concluded that the Alpha had formed its own pack. In doing so, they have managed to corral their former brethren and herd them towards the town, testing their prey's response.

Sibyll had prior experience hunting beasts and men driven mad with the plague, but to confront pretty that had become clever?

One part of him paled at the thought of such creatures displaying such ingenuity in their pursuits. It reminded him of the ambushes by the mobs, surprise attacks from the Scourge Beasts in Old Yharnam, and the abdominal unease of a silent street. But these Grimm would only be as clever as their sense of self preservation would allow them. And the young hunter knew they would not make this an easy fight.

And the other part?

It formed a ghostly smile over the thrill of such a hunt. There was something enticing about hunting prey other than the dazed bodies skulking around, much swifter and wiser than one driven mad. And it would be a much needed change over the complacency that had overcome him.

"I must return to share my findings. But first…"

Sibyll sets off back to town, if not taking a slightly long way back.

* * *

"Are you sure?" Ozpin asked over the receiver.

"Affirmative. Ruby and Velvet have returned some time ago but with all the information gathered… it doesn't appear to be anything good. We never gauged a herd of Goliaths being this far out but if they were to come this way, the walls wouldn't hold. I believe the best course of action would be to evacuate Addersfield before another incursion incurs, lest we lost control over the townsfolk itself."

Coco spoke with a rigid tone, any sense of humor long gone. Even as Blake stood to the side, she could feel the leader's aura from about her body in a tense and stilted manner.

"And those who were bitten?" the headmaster asked.

"They've been quarantined despite the town's outcry. It would be hard to believe without seeing it for yourself, but he's right headmaster. All the symptoms Sibyll predicted would happen have come to pass and it's too much to be considered a coincidence. We've done our best to maintain order but ever since we moved the patients, morale has dropped. It's fair to say they no longer trust us."

"I'll need a few blood samples to help corroborate your report."

"It's already done sir," Coco replied as she glanced over at the secure, metal case. "When can we expect additional support and emergency transport?"

"We've estimated three hours with the fastest fleet."

Blake caught on to the hint of hesitation of the headmaster's words and Coco picked up on it as well.

"But?"

"Ironwood wishes to intervene and 'suggests' we send his Atlesian Knights to help combat the incursion. He is confident fewer lives would be at risk with the use of his robotic soldier. Yet despite his good intentions, it currently delays any support to be sent promptly as the council is in a current discussion over the best course of action."

"Damn them and their discussions!" Coco shouted over the transceiver. "By the time they even come to a unanimous decision, it may already be too late. We can only hold out for so long!"

"I am well aware of that Miss Adel," Ozpin responds. There was no tone of reprimand or anger in his words. Only the sense of understood frustration was shared between them as the headmaster exhaled a sigh.

"And Miss Rose is sure of her decision?" the headmaster added.

"Yeah… He even confirmed it himself when questioned about it and admitted to avoiding your attempts to bringing him back. Velvet can provide additional support as she kept an ear out over their conversation. But whatever his intentions are, he's clearly picked his side."

"…I see…"

There was a brief pause as the three of them mulled over their thoughts in silence. Blake couldn't help but not be surprised when Ruby returned with the news of Sibyll's refusal. The man himself seemed assured in keeping out of their reach, even if he tried to maintain appearances around them. Still, she felt guilty when Ruby asked if she could have time alone to herself as the young girl hoped she could have persuaded him. The overwhelming dejection must have been too much but all three of them decided to respect her wishes, even when she knew Weiss wanted to reach out. But maybe Sibyll was just like Adam in that respect: immovable in their path to their goals.

"What has she decided to do with him?"

"She suggested that we detain him until further help arrives, but she placed sole authority of the decision on me. I can't blame her but she's right. When he returns, we'll have him placed with Adam Taurus and place them in your authority."

"Very well then. We will send transport as soon as we can and provide the town temporary shelter on school grounds. Until then, you have your orders."

"Yes sir."

With that, Coco allowed the signal to be dropped and turned off the transceiver. She had long put down her beret and shades on the table, rubbing away the exhaustion from their eyes. She looked towards Blake and shook her head.

"It's going to be hell out there as soon as we leave this building," Coco commented.

"We did lock away a few of their loved ones for being sick. I wouldn't put it past them to be a little more than angry," Blake replied.

Both girls gathered their belongings, making their way out of the building, and into the furious crowd. Angry shouts and cries followed them back to their command center, demanding explanation, retribution, anything to ease their discontent. Both of them moved passed them, offering whatever explanations they could but effectively left them behind. There was only so much they could do and the town's safety had taken precedence over the resident's anger. Upon their return, they found their teams in full attendance around the laid out maps, trying their best to plan out a counter-attack to a possible Goliath encounter. Ruby was within their numbers (returning some time during their call out to Beacon) as she moved pieces about, explaining possible strategies.

"Any news from Beacon?" Weiss asked.

"They're trying to send additional support but the General's 'help' is making the process much slower. We're on our own until then."

"That's _just~_ great. We've got the possibility of larger class Grimm coming this way and we can't even evacuate the people here until they arrive. Talk about bad luck…" Yang commented as she took her place next to Blake.

"We'll just have to hold out. Night's fallen and we'll have to be extra vigilant."

Coco looked about the camp, finding their person of interest missing.

"Sibyll hasn't returned?" she asked the group.

Velvet shook her head, sparing a small glance towards Ruby.

"We traveled much deeper into the forest than we intended. When the Goliaths came our way, we were forced to leave him behind. He must be making his way back."

"It's his only option," Ruby added coldly. Her eyes were still focused on the map on the table, refusing to meet anyone's eye.

"He can't leave without the White Fang guy; so he'll have to show up eventually. Without him, Sibyll won't make much headway anywhere."

And awkward silence filled the space between the eight members around the table before it was cut away by an uproar of angry shouts. They all turned to see a few faunus make their way to the nearest gate and both teams began to follow. A large crowd formed at the gate's opening, shouting to the approaching figure in the distance. All eight of them had to push their way to the front as Sibyll began to come into view, carrying something large over his shoulder.

But before he could come into the torchlight, one of the citizens ran out to meet him, striking the young hunter across the face. Sibyll staggered a bit but stood his ground.

"Bastard!" the man shouted at him. "You think you can just lock away our families because you say so? What gives you the right?!"

Sibyll moved passed the man, shifting the weight of the mass over his shoulder to fit as comfortably as it could. The man grabbed his shoulder, turning Sibyll slightly to land another blow across his face. Blake flinched at the scene as Sibyll made no move to defend himself.

"Answer me you son of a bitch!" the man yelled, hitting him once more. A few of the other townsfolk moved to hold their irate member as Sibyll came to stand in the full glow of the torchlight. Carefully, he set down the mass before the crowd: A body in an unnatural state and garbed in leather resembling a small game hunter. Decay had already set in as the corpse began to smell foul.

Some members gasped in shock while other murmured in confusion, passing around a name that reached the furthest back. A woman pushed through the crowd, stopping just before the body as her tail wilted in shock..

"Marko?" she asked as she tentatively reached out. Her finger prodded the unmoving mass, over and over, shaking for the headless corpse to move.

"Marko… Marko! MARKO!" she cried as she shook the body more, refusing to be pulled away by the others. Blake saw how Sibyll's eyes have turned empty as he watched the scene before him: as if he was already jaded to the scene of a woman grieving her loss. The crowd began to grow agitated, demanding that he explain himself or the state of their neighbors remains. Coco and her team began to work in maintaining order alongside Ruby, but as Blake watched, she found that the situation was already beyond their control.

"What did you DO to them?"

"Bastard!"

"You killed him!"

"You shouldn't have come! We should have left you out there!"

"Fucking human! You're out here to hurt us! Just like the god damn rest of them!"

Hellion!

Fiend!

Monster

MONSTER

 **MONSTER!**

But throughout their shouts and slander, Sibyll remained impassive. His orange eyes saw the scene before him but Blake felt he was staring off into something else, far beyond them or the current situation. The crowd began to dangerously converge on him before a shot rang out, snapping them out of their fury.

Ruby had aimed Crescent Rose toward the forest, the barrel's end smoking from the action. Blake watched as she stepped forward before Sibyll as Coco ordered the rest of the town to step back.

"I have proof that the situation in the town will only escalate if not dealt with. While I am uneducated in Faunus physiology, the effects appear to be more rapid than I believe. But you should leave those concerns with me as you have your own worries to consider," he stated as the young girl stared at him.

"How bad is it out there?"

"The Alpha has five others like him; all of them are capable of transmitting the scourge through their bites. And they way they are agitating the other beasts, it seems they are pushing them this direction."

Ruby took in the report, tucking them away to discuss with Coco later. She nodded at Sibyll and proceeded to raise Crescent Rose, aiming it directly at its heart. Sibyll merely arched an eyebrow curiously over her action.

"I'm sorry Sibyll but we can't have you fight alongside us. Even if you do help, who's to say you won't run when it's all over. It's better to keep you secure than lose you again, so please… just come quietly."

Sibyll looked at the barrel pointed at him and then back to the eyes of the small girl who pleaded with her silver eyes.

"This is a mistake," he warned.

"It's going to be a small one when compared to letting you go with the White Fang."

As Blake and the rest of their group watch, they could feel the young girl's conviction in her decision. Ruby, who often hesitated and doubted, remained firm and committed to enforcing her threat if necessary. Sibyll reached for his sword and Blake could hear the other members of their teams arm themselves, prepared for the inevitable. But his hands were slow, nonthreatening as he unfastened his weapons and set it down carefully. Sibyll laid down his firearm, the straps holding his knives and ammunition along with hit satchel and raised his hands in surrender.

"Blake and Yang, I'll need you pick up his stuff. Coco, I hope you can get the doctor to look at the remains?"

"Understood."

Blake moved forward with Yang, careful to keep Sibyll in their line of sight should he decide to try anything. But his look of resignation confirmed his cooperation as they began to pick up his various items. Ruby nodded her head towards the gate and Sibyll began to make his way into town with Ruby, Yang, and Blake behind them. The townsfolk stood aside, allowing them to pass, and the four of them made their way to the town's detainment building. People watched the slow precession as Ruby ensured Sibyll would make no attempt to escape. As the building came into sight, Chisa turned around the corner to find them. Her look of shock out shone her father's confusion as she ran to intercept them.

"Sibyll!" she cried as she tried to approach but was stopped by Yang. The girl's frantic gaze shifted between the brawler, Ruby and finally on Sibyll. Her mouth tried to form words but produced nothing as she was unable to make sense of the sight before her. Chisa's eyes finally landed on Blake, hoping that she would explain but she could only shake her head at her.

"You can't!" Chisa pleaded, trying to push past Yang but failed.

"It is alright little one," Sibyll spoke. "Go on home with your father. There is no need to be upset."

Chisa tried to protest until she felt her father's hands come to rest on her shoulders. She looked up to find him wearing an expression so rare she had could only find them in the photos at home. Cormack wore a serious expression as looked at Sibyll.

"Do you have anything to protect you and Chisa with?" the young hunter asked.

"I kept my wife's weapons after she passed. We'll be fine."

"Good. And whatever transpires tonight… I implore to not come out. I do not like the current turn of events and I fear it will only worsen. Barricade your home and protect your daughter with your very life."

"Of course."

With that, both men split off as Sibyll allowed himself to be ushered into the building's cell and Cormack steered his daughter home. After finding the young hunter secured with Adam, Blake followed Ruby and Yang back to the command station to formulate plans. Throughout the whole ordeal, Ruby remained quite and composed. But the three of them couldn't help be feel a sense of dread over Sibyll's last words, the ominous tone it took with his complete compliance to their demands.

With a plan formed, the teams split their supplies ranging from additional ammunition and dust to tide them over. They did not know when help would arrive and the night would bet the longest for all of them.

Even as Blake scanned the tree line once more from her post, she couldn't shake the sense of imminent danger from the eerily silent forest. Standing next to her was Yang who chose to remain vigilant instead of sharing small talk. Blake could only guess the brawler felt slightly at ease that Sibyll was secured and away from Ruby. But his words still remained them as the hours passed and the howling suddenly began.

All six of them rang out around the town and then came the thundering masses.

* * *

Ruby cut through another Beowolf as it tried to scramble up the stone wall. But even with the firelight, she struggled to fight against the numerous Grimm bombarding the town's defenses. Grimm began to swarm from all sides, rushing at or pass the town (or into each other) as Alpha and its pack chased them in the darkness. The town's guard had done their best to barricade the gates and held fast but a few of the larger Grimm would threaten their efforts. Even after they fought for hours, they lesser skilled fighters pulled through in defending their homes as best as they could.

Coco had done her best to cut through most of them, but where she had power she lacked accuracy and precision. Bodies of Grimm fell but not enough to make a substantial dent in the frenzied masses. There were simply too many of them and she knew she was dangerously close to another reload where Fox would cover her. But even then, the constant noise took its toll on her partner as he rounds missed their mark.

Weiss worked hard in weaving numerous glyphs to keep them off the walls but exhaustion began to set in. The heiress need full concentration and control to properly manipulate her semblance but the carnage she faced made her hasty and erratic. Velvet stood alongside her provide support as best she could, throwing improvised dust grenades to scatter the masses.

Yang kept up her fiery barrage with Ember Celica, landing as many hits as she could as Blake supported her with mid-range shots. Any Grimm trying their luck to scale the walls were met with an explosive end head on.

Yatsuhashi remained within the walls, commanding and leading the guards to areas of concerns. He doubled as a secondary defense should any of the Grimm slip by and would guide the panicked crowd as best he could.

Both teams fought for control and order under the presence of the shattered moon, a valiant struggle for survival. Bodies continued to fall as their defenses held and victory was thought to be assured. Yet the Alpha had not appeared within the chaos, continuing to howl and chase stray Grimm toward Addersfield. The members of its pack began to follow suit and in turn, used the darkness to their advantage. One of smaller Beowolves saw an opportunity as an Ursa Major met its end and quickly charged forward. A town guardsman firing from the wall noticed too late that the Beowolf had used the fallen Ursa as a springboard, launching itself toward the wall.

A pained scream rang out as the beast ensnared the guard in its maw, clamping down and using the momentum of the jump to land within the walls. It shook his head viciously as its prey screamed, blood spilling on the stone street and dropped the limp body. The beast then set its eyes on another and began to lunge.

"BREACH! GRIMM WITHIN THE WALLS!"

Ruby's attention turned back inside the wall after deeming it safe and saw the citizens run amok searching for safety. The sounds of battle could be heard and she hoped that Yatsuhashi had gotten there in time before any more harm could be done. But much to her horror, similar cries rang out throughout the town.

"Ruby! What's your status?" Coco shouted into the young reaper's ear piece.

"Nothing's come by me yet but we've got more on the inside. I don't think we have enough people to—"

"Damn it! Fox! Cover me!"

Coco's transmission was cut and Ruby could only hear static on her end. She switched channels, hoping to find that everyone still okay.

"Weiss! Are you and Velvet okay!?"

"We're pinned down but yes, everything's fine! But we can't keep holding them at bay for long! We're running low on dust and we can't make a resupply run back in the town!"

"And Yang?!"

"We're doing alright little sis! Just… just a bit winded is all. But so far everything's—MOVE BLAKE!"

Ruby and Weis could hear a roar of a Beowolf over their radios, snarling and snapping before the line cuts out as well. All around her the battle continues and both people and beast fought against one another. Ruby couldn't risk leaving her post without placing the wall at a defenseless state, especially under the care of the outnumbered guards. She could hear the screams and cries of the faunus as the Grimm hunted them within the safety of their walls. Yatsuhashi was just one person alone but just how many were already inside.

"Guard the walls! Do not let them pass!" She ordered some of the guards nearby as she sped off into the town. People moved around her in their frantic escape to their homes but Ruby could still hear the sounds of beasts. Deeper into the town she searched, leaving rose petals in her wake and moving between the buildings. Fully extending Crescent Rose, Ruby turned a corner to find one of the Beowolves slashing at the back of a man, his pained cry filling the air. The Beowolf raised another claw as Ruby took aim and fired.

The beast howled as a hole formed in his paw and it turn to face the young reaper, snarling. Ruby disappeared once more, reappearing behind the beast as she swung her scythe… grazing the Beowolf as it shirked away from her attack. Surprised, she disappeared again in hopes of causing more damage but the beast eluded her strikes.

" _I can't hit it?"_ she thought as her blade continued to miss its mark. Ruby raised her scythe once more only for it to be halted mid-swing as the beast caught it within the spikes of its arms. It shifted its arm sharply, pulling the weapon out of her grip and beyond her reach as it clattered against the road. Sure that its prey wouldn't be able to fight back, the Beowolf lunged with outstretched claws and gaping maw only to find nothing. The beast turned upon touch down to find her scrambling after her weapon but fumbled with her grip. The beast pounced once more as Ruby turned to face it, pulling the trigger only to find her weapon jammed upon the fall.

Claws were just within reach as bloodied crimson indulged the fear within those silver eyes. Ruby could feel its hot breath on her face before the beast was violently thrown away from her. Before the Beowolf could recover from the surprise shoulder charge, Yatsuhashi brought his blade down, relieving the beast of its head. The giant swordsman turned to Ruby, helping her to her feet as she thanked him profusely. He nodded as he scanned their surroundings, allowing her a moment to fix the jam in her weapon.

"How many are within the walls?" she asked him.

"All five that we were warned about but two have already been taken care of. But that isn't the main area of concern…" Yatsuhashi replied darkly.

"What do you mean?"

Yatsuhashi made his way to the man the Beowolf had attacked earlier and upon Ruby's approach, was horrified to find he was still alive. He was in immense pain, but alive nonetheless. The giant swordsman moved him to safety and did his best to bandage the wound. After ensuring the bleeding had stopped, he flagged down another guard and had him carry the man away to safety.

"They're not aiming to kill," Yatsuhashi finally said. "They attack and move on. It would be fair to say that these particular Grimm are acting highly unusual. We should place them as our man concern if we want to reduce the number of casualties."

"But we can't cover much ground with just the two of us," Ruby added as she followed after him when he began to depart.

"True. But we _do_ know where idle hands wait."

Ruby stared at his back in shock as they arrived at the building holding Sibyll and Adam. The guards had long gone, somewhere in the fight leaving their detainees unattended amidst the chaos.

"But they'll leave as soon as help arrives! We can't afford to lose them!" Ruby pleaded.

"The lives of two unscrupulous men do not equally measure the many we are currently losing," he replied as he entered the building. Adam had taken to resting against the bars, hands gripped tightly around them. Sibyll remained motionless as he sat on the cot, eyes closed as the sound of battle reverberating within their cell.

"So we might as well put them to work and ensure a hard earned victory than one by the book."

Yatsuhashi grabbed the iron door and, with his aura infused hands, pulled it away from the frame with ease. Adam watched him cautiously as the large swordsman unbound his wrists. His stoic face hardened over the red haired faunus.

"If you wish to fight for your people, prove it to them now."

Yatsuhashi then turned to Sibyll who remained motionless.

"For now, let us fight together. At least that way we'll have more of a chance."

Sibyll stood slowly as his face hardened by the memories of Yharnam and just how similar those nights were to this one. He rolled his shoulders and turned to his cell mate with a solemn tone.

"I believe it is about time I learn why they call you 'the Bloody Beast' good sir," the young hunter spoke to Adam. The bull faunus could only smirk in return as he cracked the joints in his neck.

"It wasn't even a title I wanted. But then again, better that than the name **you** earned."

"I suppose… but first," Sibyll exited the cell and stood over Ruby, his orange eyes given an unnatural glow from the firelight outside.

"Would you be so kind as to guide us to our equipment?"

* * *

 **A/N: I believe this was the most dialogue heavy of the chapters. In any case, the end is nigh and the Hunters must hunt. I've read all your comments and support and as always, thank you! With where the story is heading towards the end of the first arc, I will confidently say that we're headed in a direction I feel is best.**

 **But what I may think is best may leave some of you a little on edge (or salty). So when it happens, oh boy will it happen.**


	10. To Bathe in Blood

**A/N: It took a while to get this chapter out but here it is nonetheless! I would like to take a moment to give special thanks to my dear friend Ness, who I bounce ideas off of. Her perspective and opinions are valuable, ESPECIALLY with this chapter and the next. But really though, she was the one who encouraged me to go through with it when this story was nothing more than just a tidbit. She was Reader Zero and she supported me when I doubted anyone would want to read it. So I thank her for giving me the push to even start and continue. This one's for you kiddo.**

* * *

Families would ensure their doors were bolted securely, windows reinforced, and incense burners full as **he** walked those silent streets. The man was an outsider; a stranger from a foreign land who has come in search for the one thing all strangers search for. And like the rest of the outsiders, he violently dealt with the maddened Yharnamites with a vicious efficiency. Within their homes, they could hear the cries and bloodshed whenever he passed. When he first appeared, they could hear him seeking help or an explanation as to why the infamous city fell. His knock resonated within each home, his voice reaching out to them.

But of course, they all turned him away.

It was only to be expected when the night would continue to pass and more of their neighbors would disappear or succumb to the scourge. They couldn't chance an infection of their loved ones and any who were out on the streets were on their own. For the people of Yharnam, it was either them or the beasts.

Gone were the knocks upon their doors, a voice promising safe haven in a different part of the city. The last sane voice they would hear outside their homes disappeared and soon enough… all that was left were the sounds of fighting and spilled blood.

Even as they began to succumb within their homes, becoming the very beasts they wish to hide from, their doors remained locked. Their unseen violence and tragedies would be heard briefly before the eerie silence followed. Not even the growl of the turned remained as they were probably content in themselves to sit silently in the darkness, surrounded by the remains of prey they once knew but could not remember. But his soft footsteps would always come to pass in that terribly long night, a hunter making his rounds.

But before they turned…

Before the violence and miseries and deaths…

All those families heard tell of a man who went about the city hunting down their afflicted, swiftly and silently. Whispers of a name spread between the surviving neighbors; there were rumors and murmurings of the beast that hunted beasts. And only when one of them heard him in action were the rumors confirmed.

Someone else had been caught outside, begging for them to grant him sanctuary. The man pleaded and begged, promising he wasn't sick with the scourge and that he was clean. But his voice faltered at the sound of approaching footsteps, his fearful cry interrupted with the sound of rending flesh. A body would fall, followed by a pained moan asking for mercy. He didn't want to die. No one wanted to suffer and die.

And the response would chill one man until the end of life within his isolated home.

"This **IS** mercy."

The Hunter would always finish his work, silencing the cry and continued onward during his rounds throughout Yharnam. Rumors of a name spread among the surviving citizens before they too were silenced.

During another night in a different town, the young stranger from a foreign had earned the infamous title of **"Sibyll the Merciful"**. To others, it was **"Mercy's Red"** but both names would forever mark him as a "true" Hunter among the Hunters.

* * *

Sibyll followed after Ruby and Yatsuhashi acting as the vanguard through the streets with Adam close behind. They moved swiftly, careful to avoid the panicking large crowds, and sticking to the back streets until they arrived at a familiarly one story home.

"We left your stuff with Cormack. He was someone we could trust to watch over them," Ruby finally spoke.

She had remained quiet if not by choice in remaining alert over their surroundings, but he knew she disliked the idea of his assistance in their fight. Still, he felt that the night would only grow worse if the Alpha continued to remain. The windows of Cormack's home were obstructed with furniture and Sibyll could hear the subdued whimper of a young girl. The young hunter moved passed Ruby and Yatsuhashi, giving the door a solid knock.

"Cormack! Cormack, are you there?"

They heard the sound of heavy furniture being moved away from the door and Cormack peered out cautiously before allowing them in. Secured around his waist where bladed tonfas resting in their sheaths; designed with metal prongs on the shorter end of the weapon's length. His eyes landed on Adam, hardening at his presence before turning to the large swordsman for an explanation.

"We'll need every available fighter if we wish to succeed," Yatsuhashi said. The large swordsman took a glance at the bull faunus standing off to the side, noting he was keeping an eye outside. Ruby and Sibyll moved down the hall to reclaim their belongings, but the young reaper paused just outside Chisa's door. She could hear the sniffles and hiccups of the young girl's cry as Sibyll moved toward his room.

As he entered, he was relieved to find all of his possessions were accounted for as well as Adam's weapon resting on the bed. After quickly gathering and sorting the items into separate bags, Sibyll knelt down beside his bed and removed a loose floorboard he discovered during the first few days of his stay. Carefully, the young hunter retrieved the Blunderbuss he had hidden in fear that Chisa would have found it by accident. The girl was sweet but much too curious for her own good the young hunter thought.

Sibyll equipped everything that was necessary and entered the hall to find Chisa's door open, where Ruby was comforting the young girl. Ruby whispered softly, stroking the young girl's hair as she reassured her. The young reaper's words were of comfort and promises and Sibyll appreciated the gesture. He would have gone to comfort Chisa himself but the night must come to its end. Passing the young girl's door, Sibyll handed Adam his weapon and reached into his satchel to share some of his paper with the men.

"Rub this against the blade of your weapons to help leverage the battle into your favor," Sibyll said. "Mister Taurus, I would advise you to use it with caution as the electricity can often be erratic. And Mister Yastuhashi, apply the mixture liberally to compensate for your weapon's size. It should be heated enough to rend flesh easily but should not warp or damage your blade in any form. And Ruby?"

The young reaper appeared by his side as Sibyll handed her his travelling pack.

"I need you to hand these bottles of oil and Molotovs to those guarding the walls. Tell them to throw down the oil first and then the bottles as we need them so set the base of the walls aflame."

"Won't that cause a hazard? What if we can't contain the fires afterward?" she asked.

"That will not be a problem. They have been designed and mixed to burn as harshly as possible but briefly as we well. We only need to use them to scare off the beasts outside the walls to reduce their numbers to a manageable pace."

"… Will this work?"

The uncertainty in her voice did leave Sibyll questioning his methods of counter-offense to their situation. While fire had been a "tried and true" method during his former hunts, the young hunter didn't know whether these new creatures would fear the flame. But what other choice did they have?

"Most of the creatures I have encountered have had a great aversion to fire. These Grimm should be no different," Sibyll responded.

"And if you can," he spoke as he gave Ruby a firm squeeze on her shoulder, "make sure that your friends and sister are alright. Bring them anything they need and just… Just avoid being bitten and leave the rest to me."

Sibyll nodded to the rest of the men and the room and set off into the night.

"Come along Mister Taurus. It is time for us to prove our namesake in spite of their morbid connotations."

Adam followed after Sibyll as they began to make their way through the now emptying streets, keeping an ear out for the lurking Grimm. The young hunter's eyes darted about noticing every backstreet and darkened corner they passed. In the absence of the beasts they sought to hunt were the bodies of those who have had the dreadful encounter. Bodies of men and women groaned in pain, their breaths choked as their lungs filled with blood. Fresh wounds of slashes and bites told the vicious nature of the attacks and were done with unusual precision.

Sibyll couldn't help but feel unnerved over how nonfatal the results were. Even as he walked by their subdued bodies, he noticed how the beasts intentionally avoided harming anything vital.

And the young hunter could deal with them now while they were still docile. These people would eventually turn and it would be quick: just a quick motion of his Threaded Cane and they would be spared. All these mothers and fathers, neighbors and friends… Sibyll would stop them from experiencing the nightmarish transformation; divert them away from the bloodlust and violence. He was under Oath to do so and _if_ so… Why did the young hunter hesitate?

Adam bent down to examine one of the survivors, trying to understand what exactly they were up against. His encounter with Grimm had been diverse but **never** had he thought that they would act like…this. And if his brush with the Alpha said anything about their ability to hunt, Adam believed they were anything but normal. Even when Sibyll had warned him about the bites during their brief hours in their cell, Adam refused to belief _any_ creature could cause this amount of damage. And why leave the job half finished? The creatures of Grimm were often inclined to devour their prey but leave them alive? It didn't make— Adam felt his aura spike with warning and, before he could throw his body sideways, felt a hand pull him roughly out of the way.

A black mass lands where he one was, claws digging into the stone street as a Beowolf turned to face them.

Sibyll glanced up where the beast had hidden: claw marks and loose shingles of a nearby building betrayed its presence. If they couldn't hunt for it on the ground, then the beast must have lie in way above them. The appearance of the Beowolf had confirmed Sibyll of its differing natures: one of the larger creatures from the previous day. He brandished his Cane and Blunderbuss, circling his prey and waited.

For Sibyll, granting all beasts the first strike was (in his view) a sense of formality: a fair chance in the face of imminent death. And between man and beast, who is _truly_ the apex predator? Orange eyes sharpened over the subtle twitches of the bare fangs, moving muscles, and the putrid breaths emitting from cold night. Adam remained at the side, readily able to attack from the beast's blind spot, but Sibyll's eyes warned the faunus to remain out of it. The Beowolf's interest seemed keen on the young hunter and Sibyll would have to test his assumption.

With a roar, the Beowolf lunged at Sibyll as the hunter dashed under the attack and landed a hit with his Threaded Cane. Bones cracked under the strike and the beast gave out a pained whine as it turned its body upon landing. Despite the blunt appearance, Sibyll's cane had sharpened edges along its length and left the beast with a sizeable wound. It growled at him, slashing with gnarled claws that struck nothing as Sibyll avoided every swipe. The young hunter prided himself in countering an attack, leaving a serious of wound across the sides and limbs of the Beowolf, and effectively infuriating it.

" _Now, this is going to certainly hurt,"_ Sibyll thought as he feigned a missed attack. The Beowolf took the opportunity as claws tore across his face and throat, spilling dangerous amounts of blood. A gloved hand reached up, hoping to stanch the bleeding as the beast began to follow up with another attack. Adam intercepted the slash with a quick draw-slash, knocking the claws away and slashing across the Beowolf's chest. The bull faunus spared a glance, half stunned to find his body glowing orange as Sibyll reached for a blood vial and slammed the needle's end against his side.

The young hunter could feel the blood at work: a fire surging through his veins, regenerating his fatal wounds, and warmth filled his body as he felt whole once more. Adam continued to parry the Beowolf's attacks and, seeing an opportune moment, went in for the killing strike… that never landed.

The beast twisted itself to be parallel with the incoming blade as a paw reached out and smacked Adam away. His body crashed against a wall, cracks webbing out form the impact as his body dropped to the floor in recovery. Adam looks up to find the beast before him, fangs just inches away from his face. It roared at him before turning its attention to Sibyll, ignoring the downed faunus completely.

" _So it is my blood in particular that has taken priority,"_ Sibyll commented to himself. Rubbing the sore area of the freshly mended flesh, the young hunter motioned for the Beowolf to attack: the final invitation. Spurred on by the scent of his blood, the beast lunged without forethought and was met with an explosion tearing away a majority of its shoulder. It fell to the ground, trying to prop itself up with its good paw as Sibyll quickly closed the distance. The young hunter's hand plunged itself into the throat of the beast, a strained gurgling noise, and he could feel all the sensitive muscles in his grip.

In one swift motion, Sibyl tore away the Beowolf's throat as blood rained down upon his body; coloring his grey attire with splashes of red. The beast tried to whimper as it fell to the floor, blood filling its lungs as the light died in its eyes. Sibyll stood over his fallen prey, slamming the pointed end of his Cane through the head to ensure a permanent death. He withdrew his weapon as the blood began to pool around the body.

"And people decided to call **me** 'the Bloody Beast'? You were a bit excessive in the execution," Adam commented as he approached the body.

"It is better to be sure than regretful."

"If that's what you believe," Adam uttered to himself. Another howl was heard within the town and both men toward its direction. But another cry was heard in the opposite direction as guards shouted orders for additional aid that would most never come.

"REINFORCE THE GATES! WE CAN'T AFFORD TO LET THEM IN!"

Adam and Sibyll shared a look before the young hunter made his way towards the gate.

"I trust I can leave the town under your care while I deal the Alpha?" Sibyll asked. Adam suddenly disappeared to the rooftops and swiftly made his way deeper into the town. The answer was enough for the young hunter as he quickly made his way towards the gate, the guards doing their best to hold back the straining force. From atop the walls, he could see the pale heiress and the rabbit faunus casting spells and glyphs to reduce the numerous Grimm. Even on ground level, Sibyll could see the two girls lose their luster in battle, the effectiveness of the spell waning dangerously.

"Open the gates!" Sibyll called as he prepared his Cane.

"Are you insane!?" one of the guards voices asked amidst the chaos.

"It is imperative that we—!"

"That's SUICIDE!" another shouted.

"The gate will give way eventually! I only need a moment to pass through! Miss Schnee!"

Weiss finished casting another ice glyph before turning to the young hunter.

"What is it!? I'll have you know that I don't have time for a pleasant conversation with EVERYTHING ELSE going on around us!"

Sibyll ignored her sarcasm as he produced a folded piece of paper for himself, preparing to rub the mixture against the weapon itself.

"I take it that Ruby has given you what I have sent for?"

"What are you talking—wait—you mean those bottles?" Another glyph incinerated a charging Deathstalker and warded off a few Grimm.

"Throw them down at the creatures below! It should be enough to frighten them off!"

"You're kidding, right!?"

But the heiress could hear the sound of broken glass as the guards began tossing Molotovs at the Grimm. Fiery explosions grew and created a halo of wild light as it kept the beasts at bay. But the fire was sporadic and weak, leaving a few open spaces, and the Grimm began to creep back towards the wall. Velvet had taken the initiative to throwing down the urns and Molotovs, warding off a few Grimm, but they were losing their potency. Weiss knew that they would need a greater flame to successfully ward them off and she began to weave numerous red glyphs alongside the outer wall. She poured all of her aura into their formations as the detailed patterns glimmered dangerously. It would be a dangerous move but they couldn't risk so many Grimm around a town feeding their drive; where fear and madness is a lethal factor in the tides turning against them.

"You only get one chance!" Weiss shouted behind her as her hands moved in intricate motions. "Velvet, can you watch over me after the next attack?"

"Don't worry, I'll keep you covered."

With that, Weiss drew upon her semblances full power; every single glyph began to glow vibrantly as it augmented the fires around the town's walls. It pushed away the creatures of Grimm as many escaped into the surrounding forests, the rest stunned by the sight. The image of a wall of fire would be forever burned into their memories, should they escape into the night as well. Weiss held out for as long as she could but began to feel herself slipping away as Velvet caught her falling body. Aura exhaustion had set in for the heiress and Velvet moved her body to a safer position. The fires remained but petered out slowly but the effects had left their mark: the Grimm became wary of trying for the wall and ceased fighting among themselves.

"Open the gates!" Velvet ordered. The guards moved the heavy objects away, opening the gates just enough for Sibyll to slip through before closing it again. Running his hand along the length of his cane, Sibyll ran forward to the remaining Grimm as his shifted his weapon into its alternate form.

From where she stood, Velvet saw how the young hunter fought against the beasts of varying size. His weapon would arc and whip at them, blue electricity moving as if it were alive and leaving wounds both deep and shallow. His body moved with practiced motions as the young hunter ducked and weaves around the attacks, firing his gun which would stagger them and – Velvet could not help but gasp – disembowel them with his own hands. So many creatures fought against a lone man who shouldn't have had a chance without the safety of aura. But he continued to slay them, their bodies falling in his wake and those who lucky enough to be alive fled. Their pained cries were enough to end the rest of them away from the town, away from the hunter they couldn't kill.

Even as they fled, Sibyll made it a point to drive the message home: using his electrified whip to strike at their evading numbers and leaving wounds that would serve as a reminder. He hoped it was enough to ward them away for a long while but the young hunter knew he had one final target.

As the field around the town emptied, he searched through his bag and produced a bottle of dubious red liquid inside. Stabbing the Cane into the ground, Sibyll uncorked the bottle and could smell the foul odor of the cocktail in his hand. He had heard from one other hunter the effects of the concoction when imbibed: dulling the sense of pain, looser body with fluid movement, and a false sense of power from the sheer confidence it instilled. "Euphoric" would be the term Sibyll would describe the supposed effects. And while he kept himself away from the soporifics on any kind, he wondered if should indulge himself a little. The aroma, though foul, was frustratingly enticing that it took every ounce of restraint to not have a small taste. In Yharnam, such drinks were inviting to both man and beast.

And if the Alpha refused to come from hiding… then the young hunter would force its hand with temptation.

Giving it a quick swirl, ensuring it was properly mixed, Sibyll poured the bottle's contents all over himself. His face was bathed in a warm, thick liquid as it began to run down towards his body; ashen hair turned crimson as the young hunter tilted his head about and generously applied it everywhere. As the bottled emptied, he could feel a nightly breeze pass through and into the woods. He could only hope his putrid scent would draw the Alpha out form hiding and would wait for the beast's arrival.

The night returned to an eerie silence as Sibyll waited. The fires along the base of the walls have died down and he could hear the guard's shouts for tending to the wounded. For a spared moment, he considered his next move.

Should Adam succeed in slaying the remaining beasts, they would have to find a way to leave the village without anymore conflicts. Sibyll had already served the town to the best of his abilities and he could finally travel with someone with a similar cause. Their small talks were enough to convince him that Adam worked under another's command and very much to the faunus' displeasure. Adam expressed his skepticism over the matter, believing that there is something more his organization isn't being told.

" _I won't allow my people to be used by the filth of your kind any longer. While it's one thing to work_ _ **with**_ _the people we hate, I don't trust_ _ **them**_ _and I don't trust_ _ **you**_ _."_

Adam's statement rang out in his mind as something crept forward from the forest. Twitching with anticipation, the Alpha stood tall as it eyed its prey. Even from a distance, Sibyll could note how much larger it had grown from their last encounter and was just as eager to finish what was left undone. The beast flexed its fingers, itching with the scent carried by the wind and it could almost taste it… It had been so long since the creature had tasted anything so substantial…so sublime. And here it was again, watching with orange light in its eyes and the Alpha could only huff and snort with excitement over feeling it longed for.

Sibyll reached for the handle of his blade, gripping the hilt tightly as he watched the Alpha. He knew the beast would be a formidable one but the young hunter couldn't take any risks in losing ground. Sibyll could feel the pain well up from his core as he slowly drew Chikage; the blade was stained with a deep, crimson color that warned of a foul effect.

It was a strange art to use one's blood to poison prey and weaken them into a state of immense pain. And the drawback for the user was just as painful as it was for prey. Sibyll rarely used such a secondary skill, reserving its use for more dire situations, but he needed an edge in battle to ensure victory; even if that edge could possibly kill him in the process, setting back a month's worth of work.

Quickly pulling one final object from his pocket, he unwrapped the Beast Blood Pellet and placed the foul tasting drug in his mouth. Biting down with an audible crack, he could feel its effects take place. His senses felt sharper, muscles much tighter, and an unusually strong sense of thirst build up in his mouth. Sibyll swallowed the pull could feel a primal power budding as his core.

The Alpha roared as it charged the young hunter and Sibyll dashed forward to meet the beast head on.

* * *

Blake rested against her partner as the Grimm began to flee the field. She had overused her semblance to cover a majority of their wall but didn't anticipate a surprise attack from chaos itself. Yang had gotten to her in time, barely missing the maw of a Beowolf and the brawler managed to fire a shot which grazed the beast. Leaving a blood trail in its wake, they decided to shift their focus to tracking the Beowolf that breached the wall. They hoped the adjoining guardsmen would hold their defense as they pursued the wild beast, unsure if Yatsuhashi would be able to prevent any casualties within the walls in time.

But as they followed, both girls found themselves slowed down by the victims that littered the trail as well.

Men and women were wounded and left vulnerably behind. They tried to maintain the chase but as the body count began to increase, they knew the injured townsfolk would get worse without care. Both girls doubled back, moving the victims out of the way and tending to the injuries as best as they could. Blake was at least grateful Ruby had convinced them to take First Aid 101 in place of Remedial Botany (to Weiss' displeasure) as she dressed the wounds and staunched the bleeding.

But she found it strange that the Beowolf would just leave injuries yet instead of death. It was a haunting thought as she tended to the many people who've been injured had been taxing. In doing so, she and Yang allowed the trail to go cold as any further search left no tell tale signs.

"How can we just _lose_ a Beowolf in small town?" Yang asks as she looks over to the guards moving the victims.

"I'm not sure but it seems no one else is hurt," Blake replies.

Their shoulders rested against one another, their bodies aching and aura exhausted with the effort of their work. With the Grimm outside the walls now retreating, they could focus on the townsfolk and their needs until additional help arrives.

"How many does that make this?" Yang asks, resting her head against hers.

"I'm not sure… I would guess somewhere past forty? Maybe fifty? Even the guards don't know," Blake admitted.

"Damn it…"

Even as the chaos of the sudden Grimm incursion died down, they were unable to prevent casualties to the people they were supposed to protect. There was no such as a perfect mission but it didn't ease their conscience, feeling as if they failed to some extent. With everyone that was hurt, it became apparent that they were in need of more training. Even if they were considered the "best in their year", the reality of an actual battle had put things into perspective for the partners.

For Yang, she never believed a situation could go wrong so quickly within the heat of battle. Despite what others believed of her, the blonde brawler did her best to be readily prepared for anything. She never dove into the heat of battle without some form of a plan and that went double for squeezing information out of information brokers. Like her uncle, Yang often found herself in dodgy situations where walking in blind guaranteed a violent end. But the fight against Grimm was just as unpredictable, if not more harrowing with innocent lives on the line.

Within Blake's thoughts, the faunus couldn't help but feel dejection over failing her people. She swore to protect them as best she could without the White Fang's philosophy but victory itself felt small. This was the first major mission they were assigned and already Blake was unsure if they had made a difference. A Huntress' capability was defined by her prowess in battle and the proficiency in handling the people who need her protection. Yet their losses outweighed their accomplishments and she could only wish Ozpin had sent in medical assistance to their locations.

And despite their mission to Mountain Glenn, where they were forced to improvise, both of them felt their situation to be out of their control even _with_ prior planning. The occasional Grimm hunts in the Emerald Forest and sparring within class didn't come close to how actual missions went. It was one thing for both Blake and Yang to have face trouble of the nefarious sort but to face an overwhelming amount of Grimm was another.

" _How long has it been already?"_ she wondered as she took in the night air. She expected that their headmaster had been able to take initiative to send somebody but when? If the townsfolk didn't succumb to their wounds, then they would fall to fever and much more. She wasn't sure if their medical center had enough supplies to treat everyone or even if the cache they brought with them would provide any additional help.

Another howl sounded through the air, bring both girls' to attention of another attack. They could hold out just enough but even they couldn't last as long as they hoped. But the howling didn't appear to bring any more Grimm to the town, only the sound of a distant battle far from their position.

"Who do you think is out there fighting?" Blake asked, hoping it wasn't one of their own alone out there.

"Dunno, but let's try to regroup with the rest of the team and find out who," Yang replied as she helped her partner up.

They made their way back to the makeshift base of operations, hoping to both of their teams there before crossing paths with an injured child. His body rested against the side of a building, arms clutching at his bandaged stomach as he moaned in pain. Both girls rushed to his side, checking him for any other injuries as his eyes were shut tight; beads of sweat dripping down from his matted hair where the nubs of his horn peeked out. His body seemed to be on fire, skin hot to their touch and damp with sweat. Yang decides to search for help while Blake remained with the boy, leaving the faunus to watch over him until she could find the doctor.

The little boy whimpers in pain, his body shaking under her hold and Blake does her best to soothe him. She runs her fingers through her hair, promising him that help is on the way and that it will be okay. Blake takes a moment look around her surroundings, hoping to hear Yang's returning footfalls. But the town is quiet save for the sounds outside the walls as something crashes against the earth, echoing roars drifting through the air.

" _Please Yang, come back quickly!"_ Blake pleaded in her thoughts.

Footsteps slowly approached and she turned her head in hopes to find her partner with a doctor in tow. But her eyes found a figure wandering the streets, slowly ambling towards her, with its head hung low. She could hear the low moans of pain, similar to the boy and Blake the form of a villager. His clothes appeared torn, stained with blood from Beowolf bite, and his staggered gait spoke of dazed consciousness. In the man's hand was a loosely held axe, one made primarily for chopping wood, as it hovered just inches above the ground. Blake felt strangely unnerved by his presence, noticing the unnatural way he moved about.

"Are you okay?" she called out.

The man's attention was drawn to her and Blake instantly regretted the action. He began to shamble towards her, the axe head glinting dangerously in the dark. There was something off about his eyes; an almost frenzied look haunted them but she didn't know what it could have been. A growl from his throat, choked by the immense pain he was feeling as he charged her, bringing the axe down on her and the boy in her arms. A bloodied edge passed through them, an illusion left behind as the man looked around. He felt a swift blow land behind his head, knocking him down as Blake darted away from him.

"What are you doing!?" she demanded as the man stood up once more.

He didn't appear fazed by her attack despite how it should have knocked any lesser person out. The man charged at her again, coming with an overhead strike that she was able to side step and knock him off balance. His body crashed against the floor, but the man was quick to rise again. Blake knew of the delirium the fever put them though, but the man was attacking her earnestly; he tried to swing his weapon at her whenever it was believed she was defenseless. She couldn't defend herself properly with the child in her arms and, just before the man could attack again, used her semblance to move herself away. His garbled shouts followed after her but she was swift in her escape to the area, hoping to bring the boy somewhere safer.

He began to struggle against her hold as she sprinted away with Blake almost dropping him. Turning into a quiet alley, she carefully places the boy against the wall as she glanced around for any sense of danger. His body began to convulse, crying out in pain as he gripped himself rightly, and Blake tended to him as best she could. She applied aura to her hands and tried to feed it into his ailing body before flinching away. Blake could feel immense pain surge briefly through her soul; a wrenching at her heart that caused the girl to gasp for breath as the boy suffered before her.

It was unnatural what her aura felt and any further attempts would only worsen it.

Footsteps began to approach, entering the alley from either side. Blake's golden eyes saw more of the townsfolk slowly approach; all of them wounded and all of them armed.

"Come on kid, we have to go," Blake says as she tries to pick up the boy. But he begins to thrash about wildly, screaming at her, and doing his best to swat away her hands. The alleyway itself is too small for her to use Gambol Shroud to protect the both of them and Blake was reluctant to shoot at the people she was supposed to protect.

"I can't help if you won't let me—" Blake was interrupted as the boy lashes out with his claws, forcing Blake to take a step back away from him. He seemed much sicklier as his breathing felt forced and eyes both teary and red. A growl grew from his throat as the boy tried to charge at her, raising his claws in a threatening manner. His small legs trembled during his approach and, with Blake having to do nothing, falls to the floor as the pain wracks his body once more. Even still, Blake knows she can do nothing more to help as a tentative, outstretched hand is met with angry swipes to harm and injure her.

"It's all your fault…" a low voice murmurs around her.

Blake turns to find the townsfolk beginning to crowd her. Any sense of escape is cut off and the young faunus girl is forced to fight in self defense against her people. She pulls up Gambol Shroud, hoping to incapacitate them without further injury. She aims her sight at something non-vital and tries to squeeze the trigger. Blake tries to fire upon her own kind and she can't. Even as their glazed and maddened eyes approached her, even when they aim to hurt her in their bout of sickness, she refuses to.

Instead, Blake propels herself upward. Using her afterimages to zigzag her way to the roof, she looks down to find the mob of people converge where she once stood; all of them looking up at her in clear agitation.

"Something's not right…"

Blake's thoughts slipped past her lips as she traversed the rooftops in search for her partner. The afflicted are collectively slipping into their fever induced delirium, lashing out any trying to help them. They couldn't risk hurting them but even _she_ conceded that their weapons were designed to cause harm. It would take too much of her aura to dull the edges of her blades and the force of such a strike would surely cause internal injuries for the townspeople.

She continued to her search for Yang as the sounds of skirmishes began to ring out throughout the town: the afflicted banging on the doors of those in safety. Blake recognized a few as the ones she and Yang helped before losing the Beowolf within the town. The small mob patrolled the streets, looking up to find her passing overhead and a few of them (guards unluckily bitten) took the initiative to fire their rifles at her. The rounds passed through her afterimage, propelling her forward to land on anther roof and she continued to keep an eye out for blonde brawler.

"Please be safe! Please be safe!"

Sounds of a larger skirmish grew louder ahead of Blake. Increasing her pace, she came upon a large crowd being pushed away with gunshots and slashes. She found Adam using his weapons to fend off the oncoming attack; he carefully aimed to subdue them, but struggled against their numbers and tenacity. He fires Wilt from its sheath, propelling the blade's handle forward and knocking down another threat. Crossing the distance quickly, Adam retrieves and sheathes blade to unleash another draw-slash across a man's torso. The body staggers back, blood spilling from the shallow wound but it isn't enough to ward them off.

Adam continues to fight back against the mob, slashing and firing out whenever he can but they remain unafraid by his efforts to ward them off. Three men break from the crowd's ranks and charge him with various domestic tools before another red slash disarms them and spilling more red. The gripped at their arms as shouts filled the air, blaming him for their predicament. Adam could only stand his ground as they begin to converge on him before a series of shots fill the air.

Blake fires Gambol Shroud threateningly in the air as she lands by his side, surprising the mob with the arrival of another person if only briefly. If Adam was surprised by her arrival, Blake knew he didn't show it well as they took defensive stances together.

"Adam, what's going on with them?" Blake asked, using the flat of her blade to knock away another citizen.

"I'm not sure. But if what Sibyll said is true," Adam pauses to slash at the hand from a woman away, "then this is the 'first stage' he keeps preaching about."

"A 'first stage' to **what**?"

"Exactly what you see before us…"

A pitchfork is suddenly thrust forth at them which leaves Blake to parry the strike and swings her weapon down on the offender's shoulder. Forgetting to add aura to dull the blow, Blake watches as the metal sinks deep into the flesh and drawing blood. The man cries out in pain, pulling away from the cat faunus and gripping at his shoulder as crimson flows freely. A knot forms in her stomach, and she grows sick at the sight as Adam dashes forward to protect them from an axe's horizontal sweep.

"We have to take them down," Adam states as he finally takes a more aggressive assault. Arcs of red alight and begin to lash out, leaving deep crimson lines upon the bodies before them. The bodies at the forefront recoiled in pain as Adam continued weaving and slicing, felling a few of them before Blake intervened.

"We **CAN'T** hurt them!" Blake cried as she pulled him away from another oncoming attack. Leaving afterimages in their wake, Blake gave them enough distance for a moment of reprieve.

"There's nothing more we can do for them Blake. They're far beyond help!"

"They're only sick!"

"The sick don't pick up weapons and start attacking other people!"

"We just have to knock them out! Subdue them before they hurt anyone else!"

"Blake—"

Something lands behind them and before she could turn to see it, Adam pulls her away from an oncoming claw meant to take their heads. The wounded Beowolf stands directly behind them, placing Adam and Blake right in the middle between it and the oncoming mob. The beasts swipes again, forcing them closer and closer to the mob, playing with its prey as it ducked under Adam's gunshots. Blake parries another bladed attack as the space between to threats grow smaller and smaller.

"Shit!" Adam shouts as he pools a bit of his aura into his blade and releasing the energy with slash. The wounded Beowolf leaps back, just missing the energized arc. Adam quickly reaches into his coat and thrusts a folded piece of paper at Blake.

"Rub this on your weapon! I'll take care of the Grimm!"

Before the beast could press its advantage, Adam dashed forward and began his assault as his blade began to spark with electricity. The Beowolf, wary of the sudden change in the prey's demeanor, turned evasive and kept out of the blade's reach. Blake looks at the paper with disbelief before ducking under thrusting attack. Planting her heel against the stomach of an oncoming man, she kicks away her aggressor away before sliding the coarse surface of the paper against her blade.

Blue sparks came to life as they envelop the entirety of her weapon, grazing her hands with tiny pops and crackles. The mob makes a noticeable change and hesitates in their charge and giving her the time necessary to plan her move. Blake runs forward, using Gambol to parry oncoming strikes and use the flat of the blade to strike at those in the mob; bodies convulsing with an electrical current coursing through their bodies.

Blake moved with efficiency within the mass of bodies; one by one they fell as blurs of electricity thinned their ranks. A blade would arc downward as she slipped into someone's guard, jamming the blade like a cattle prod and the attacker would be dispatched without harm. Wild haymakers would be strike against the electrified metal, faces contorted in pain before losing consciousness and falling heavily to the floor. And Blake would work her way through the crowd, leaving afterimages to extend and multiply her attacks.

While they had the advantage of numbers, they lacked coordination as she exploited the tight spaces between them. Weapons would be caught in each other's paths, limbs unable to move freely as the cat faunus weaved her attacks with deft hands. Subduing the final threat, Blake could feel her body on the brink of aural collapse. Sixteen feverish inhabitants shouldn't have posed a problem but with the prior duty of defending the walls, she knew she was fighting dangerously low on energy. The once sore aches in her muscles now screamed for reprieves, burning pleas for a battle's end. Blake's breathing became strained as she turned to find Adam in a similar situation.

The wounded Beowolf bore newer wounds as the bull faunus dashed away from another swipe. His once immaculate clothes had been dirtied and rumpled with the night's battles and he so dearly wished for the beast to accept defeat. Every shot fired from Blush would push the beast into evasion and Adam would _try_ to cross the distance to slice at something vital. But the plan proved to be difficult when the beast was just as stubborn as he was and with eyes never straying form the fight. He knew certain Grimm would be cautious keep a fair distance away from Hunters if they wished to survive, but Beowolves were the brasher of their kind. The one before him was set on avoiding any more injuries with red eyes alert of Adam's form.

Adam just needed enough time to land the killing blow without the beast making another attempt of evasion. Reaching for the final folded pace of paper Sibyll had given him, he fired Wilt towards the Beowolf and quick moved after it. Unprepared for the fast flying object, the beast flinched as the hilt of Adam's blade strikes the bony face plate and cracking it upon impact. Rubbing the bolt paper over the barrel of his sheath, Adam fired Blush directly at the Beowolf's head with bullets augmented with electricity. Doubling as a flash bang and stunning agent, Adam retrieved Wilt and sheathed his blade one more. The beast itself yelped in pain over its sudden loss of sight, pawing at its eyes, as Adam prepared his final attack.

His semblance gathered the energy from the effects of the bolt paper and his body began to glow red, channeling the power into his blade. Adam knew his final move would destroy the creature if it tried to run but it lacked the energy to ensure a confirmed kill. Aura pooled into his blade, melding with the electricity, and Adam began to grow brighter as the Beowolf began to regain control over its sight, snarling menacingly as it charged the stationary swordsman.

"Enough."

Adam saw the colors of the night change just for a moment with shades of black and red overtaking his sight. The Beowolf was a mere shadow that began to flutter way into nothing against the contrast. And for a brief moment he could feel the world go quiet. Sheathing his blade away, Adam saw the colors return to normalcy with the darkness of the night hanging overhead. Nothing remained that would have told of the beast's presence and he could feel his body begin to surge with pain. Dropping to his knees, he clutched at the area over his heart,

" _I used too much of my own aura,"_ Adam thought as he turned to find Blake flying past him. Her body smashed through a wall, leaving a darkened hole and the swordsman was overshadowed by the Runt Beowolf standing over him. Much like the Alpha he encountered, this smaller version appeared lither in form than its kin and had somehow hidden his presence during his fight. The beast openly salivated over the thought of weakened prey, claws twitching as it was raised above Adam. Through his mask, he wasn't sure if the Grimm was naturally snarling over him…or smiling.

The Beowolf's body erupted with several explosions fired from elsewhere, and as the beast turned its head was met with shattering punch. Yang's body was alight with fury and flame, picking up the now deceased beast and punching at its still body over and over; Ember Celica fired alongside her strikes and created a bloody opening through the corpse. The brawler dropped the body on the floor before walking to hole her partner had been thrown into. Adam struggled to his feet and followed after, leaning against the opening's edges as Yang knelt over her partner.

"It'll be okay, Blake. Just hang in there," she whispered with hands shakily stopping the bleeding.

The cat faunus was unconscious, probably due to the impact itself, but was still alive after finding a faint pulse. But her wounds were too grievous to treat: three diagonal gashes trailed from her left shoulder to her stomach and waist. She was losing blood and Yang was unsure of what to do next to save her partner.

Sounds of tearing cloth filled the room and another pair of hands joined hers, applying the fabric and pressure.

"Do you know how to you use your aura on another person?"

Yang's eyes shot up to find Adam working to tie strips of his torn coat around Blake, skilled fingers securing them tightly. He was careful in treating the girl, gently moving her to a more comfortable position as he studied the wounds and grit his teeth over her current state.

"Just a bit," the brawler replied.

"Share some of it with her and apply it to her wounds. It should stop the bleeding for a bit as we move."

Yang narrowed her eyes at his, lilac eyes turning red in warning.

"And just where are we headed?"

"Out of here."

* * *

Ruby ran.

She ran throughout town, avoiding the attacks of those who were bitten, with the hopes that her team and Coco's were alright. She didn't know when the villagers began fighting each other but as soon as blood was drawn… Ruby felt she had to find her team fast. Trails of petals were left behind, leaving a few of the aggressors befuddled with the sudden gush of wind, stopping at the makeshift command center.

Weiss' body was slumped into a chair, unmoving, as Velvet stood vigilantly by her side. Both girls looked visibly exhausted and Ruby rushed to her partner's side, looking over her form with the fear for the worst. Velvet intervened, dispelling any doubt or fears, and Ruby felt a sense of relief that Weiss was merely aura exhausted. The reaper did notice the pillars of fire surround the town and the familiar sounds of glyphs, but she was busy supplying both teams with necessary resources… with the exception of the bumblebee pair.

"Has anyone seen Yang or Blake?" Ruby asks.

Velvet shook her head.

"We were only able to regroup here and they were positioned in the southern part of town. With the way things are now, they should be on their way back."

"As they should," Coco said as she turned the corner with Fox close behind. "Evac is inbound and the north gate has the least amount of inner skirmishes. I've ordered Yatsuhashi to gather the rest of the guards and begin herding the townspeople away from the fighting. The same goes for all of us: guard the citizens to safety and into the transport ships when they arrive."

"But what about the ones w-who—"

"Subdue without harm. We can't risk harming them without giving the medics a chance to help them."

"And that Sibyll guy?" Fox asked.

Roaring was heard overhead, enough for the sound to reverberate within their chest. Velvet made a tentative look toward the gate and Ruby made her way towards the top of the wall. Something dark colored the once green grass and the young reaper found both hunter and prey, bloodied and circling one another. Pulling up Crescent Rose, she saw Sibyll's state through her scope and felt a chill over his haggard state.

His brow furrowed with exhaustion as he dodged another attack. The young hunter pushed into the Alpha's guard, slashing away at the exposed underbelly, spilling more blood before dashing away. But there was just so much of it on the ground and… all over him. Ruby wasn't sure if that was the Alpha's or Sibyll's but it was unsettling to watch him fight in such a grim color. The young hunter moved with finesse, carving and slicing away at the weakening Alpha but the beast remained adamant. And it seemed so frantic in attacking Sibyll, claws slashing about with the hopes of hitting him. The Alpha's maw seemed to salivate beyond its control, dripping off in slivers and streams as Sibyll avoided its advances. There was something wild in Alpha's eyes and they honed in on the elusive man-in-once-grayish-attire.

And Sibyll was smiling.

Despite how exhausted he appeared or how difficult the fight had been, the young hunter's reddened face carried a smile that haunted her dreams. It was the very same smile he wore when he hunted down her family and friends. An unsettling gleam was set in his eyes as he flourished his blade across flesh of the beast.

And his blade seemed coated with something… She guessed it must have been the blood of the Grimm but they usually dissipated once spilled. It looked much thicker and deceptively darker in the night. Sibyll's face winced briefly in pain but his actions afterward were fluid: sidestepping another slash as he stabbed something against his side, glowing orange for a small moment, before returning to the fight.

Ruby's body shook with fear as she continued to watch. It was a natural response to try and run from something dangerous, to preserve one's self to live another day with the hopes of living many more. Yet here was the nightmare incarnate made real by flesh, blood, and bone; it breathed, walked, fought with the power she couldn't put to words. It was dangerous for anyone to fight without their aura unlocked but Sibyll managed just that and more. Every move was made with the intent to harm, to kill, and to the young reaper… it seemed that he had done this before. Sibyll didn't hold back, pressing the advantage when he could and causing an abhorrent amount of damage in the process.

In her eyes, he had the skills of an experienced Hunter.

So why did she feel as if she was watching something monstrous?

As much as the young reaper shook, she remained place. And the young hunter's grin only grew wider and wider.

"SIBYLL!"

* * *

The young hunter looked over his work on the Alpha, watching the poison fulfill its work within the beast. The Alpha's book shook slightly with an internal pain it couldn't comprehend as Sibyll continued to cut away pieces and chunks from the towering mass. It had been a one sided battle but not without its repercussions.

He had gotten "slightly drunk" (as he believed) off the aroma of the putrid cocktail, altering his decisions slightly and emboldened him with improper confidence. Few times he had met with the force of a backhand swing, bruising (or breaking) his ribs that stole his breath. He would strike whenever he felt he could exchange the pain received for one dealt outward and could have ended his fight much earlier if he chose to. But doing so had cost him Blood Vials he couldn't restock until another visit to the Dream.

A part of him knew that as a hunter, he had to gauge the skill and mindset of the prey he hunted. The young hunter would allow a few hits to land, dodging the rest, and forced his quarry to act and betray their intentions. He had done this many times before and each hunt would end without much conflict.

But the young hunter felt something else about his current battle. Something else was feeding a much deeper and darker part of him… Sibyll couldn't place it and blamed it on the cocktail and pellet. Using both in conjunction was a poor decision in hindsight but he had gained the upper hand in the fight. But now, he was merely prolonging it the inevitable. The young hunter learned all he could from the Alpha, enough to compensate a month's work for the town.

But here he was… playing with the poor creature.

It was in poor form to treat prey as anything such and besmirched the Hunter's Oath to take any form of enjoyment in their cause. Event the beasts, who were once human, demanded respect and a swift death to end their internal sufferings. If any of the other Hunters from Yharnam saw him as he currently was, Sibyll would have met with a similarly quick death. There was no joy in his line of work, but for those who _have_ found it… were not better than to be considered mad as well.

Yet Sibyll could only smile as he danced around the wounded Alpha. It was surprising to see a beast still stand when such a poison course through its veins. Even then, the young hunter dodged and struck, sidestepped and slashed at it, savoring all the whimpers and whines and roars.

And the memories he gained for the Alpha…

All those people it had slain and devoured, varying in ages and sizes, and delectability…

All those days running with a pack with its brethren, chasing down Hunters…

All those nights stalking the red forest and claiming them…

All those moments of Dusk and Dawn it had watched, when the world would alight and fade into nothing, save for the broken moon in the sky…

All those moments yearning to hunt the little prey whose blood tasted so good…

It invigorated the young hunter beyond comprehension, euphoria building up within his belly and heart, and a thirst just almost quenched…

"SIBYLL!"

It was enough to break through the intoxication and Sibyll finally plunged his blade into the Alpha's heart. The beast shook, bearing its weight on the young hunter until it was shifted to fall to the side. Arms and legs twitched violently, shock setting in as the Alpha's eyes looked about frantically. Whimpers gurgled with blood and its sight began to grow hazy over the now evading night, feeling something cold and sharp slip from its chest.

Something came into view, standing over it.

It's the prey it sought after for, raising the blade over the throat.

"Forgive me."

There was a short yelp of pain and then nothing. Sibyll watched as the life drained away from the Alpha's eyes and the staggered breaths went still. He felt the heat of shame rise in his face for his delayed actions and knew that Gehrman would have been more than cross. It should have been a quick and clean kill, but the young hunter knew it was anything but.

Sheathing his weapon, he turns to face the wall, finding the source of the voice with her red hood. The figure was far but Sibyll knew that Ruby was watching and, by the tone of her cry, anxious. He couldn't allow himself to wallow in self-reproach and turn back to the Alpha's body, filling a few empty vials with blood for study later. With three vials in hand, Sibyll made his way towards the gate, retrieving his Cane as a whirring noise began to approach. Still, the young hunter spared a thought as to why the body had yet to dissipate. Most Grimm had done so upon death but it would be a thought for later.

A large airship hovered above the town, with smaller ships leaving from the starboard side of the hull. They descended upon the down just as the young hunter reached the gates and passed through, many of the citizens herded past him with Team CFVY's efforts. He was able to slip through the rushing crowd, passing Coco and her team unnoticed as he made his way up the street. Even with the fearful frenzy, Sibyll knew there was something wrong.

"Sibyll!" Ruby calls out from the side. With a slight glance, the young hunter finds her struggling to reach him through the crowd. Her hand reaches out to stop him, grab him and pull him away from wherever he planned to go. While her actions spoke of one thing, her eyes betrayed the fear she held when watching him. He had seen that many times before but never expected to see her make that very same expression. Sibyll moved away, deeper into the crowd and into the city leaving the young reaper behind in her struggle to meet him.

Following a path by second nature, he arrived at Cormack's home which had become worse for wear over the course of the night. Walls were marked with slashes, windows broken in as the afflicted slammed their weapons against his door. He could hear the father's strain from inside, doing his best to bear his weight against the door when the sound of a window as broken.

"Chisa!"

Footsteps moved deeper into the house and the afflicted began to make headway in destroying the front door. Finally tearing away at the wooden barrier, they began to smash through Cormack's belongings, allowing Sibyll the entrance needed to find his caretakers. The side of the Cane struck one across the neck resulting in a sickening snap and another across the head which left an unnatural dent on the dome. By the time the two bodies fell, and the third afflicted turn to face Sibyll, the Cane had pierced its chest. There was a slight struggle but the stopped altogether. Sibyll stepped into the house and made his way to Chisa's room where it had gone quiet.

"Cormack? Chisa?" he called out.

The door was slightly ajar and he carefully pushed it open to find the young girl cradled in her father' arms. The window in her room was barricaded but a corner piece of the glass had certainly been broken in, evident of the bloodstains around the jagged edges.

"Is everyone alright?" Sibyll asked when he felt something pierce his right shoulder. He could feel an electrical current surge through his body before suddenly stopping. Metal prongs latched into his shoulder, leaving a trail of wires at the hilt end of Cormack's bladed tonfas.

"Sorry about that. You came out of nowhere and you're covered in…"

Cormack took a moment to fully see Sibyll but the young hunter waved away his concerns.

"It is not mine. I assure you it was the Grimm outside the walls. But we must leave this place now as evacuation has been set for the unbitten."

Cormack nodded and knelt down with his daughter, unresponsive to his words. Whenever he tried to speak with her, Chisa would flinch away and hold herself tightly; a body balling up in hopes of hiding away from the monsters outside. Sibyll knelt beside him and was careful not to touch her with his dirtied hands.

"Chisa."

The girl refused to respond, but her ears twitched at the call of her name.

"Chisa, look at me."

She squeezed her eyes shut but tilted her head up towards him.

"It will be alright little one. We are going to leave your home for someplace safer, but I need your help."

Chisa shook her head, unsure of what she could do.

"I know you are afraid, but I need you to be brave for a little bit. Can you do that?"

"What can I even do?" she whispered more to herself than to Sibyll.

"Help me find the courage as well."

The young girl slowly opened her eyes, finding her friend covered in so much red that she gasped. She didn't realize it but there was an off smell to him, making her queasy but it was in the eyes that she focused on. They watched her with an almost pleading look, and the young hunter raised his hand slightly to show the noticeable shake.

"Your father and I are also afraid. Can you lend us a bit of your bravery until we are out of the danger?"

She looked to her father and back to him, giving them a small nod as the young hunter smiled. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the "lucky" handkerchief and handed it to her.

"Put this around your eyes. You won't need to see the outside for a bit."

Chisa took it and wrapped it around her eyes carefully.

"What do I need to do?" she asked.

"Just keep talking to me, okay? Whatever happens, whatever you hear, continue to talk."

Sibyll stood and nodded for Cormack to follow as Chisa was carefully held in his arms. They exited the home carefully, trying to make their way back to the gate without any unnecessary risk. But the main road had been effectively cut off with the afflicted, their numbers a problem for two men and a young girl. Chisa could feel her father's hold tighten, a whispered cure she picked up and the shifting of her weight. She could hear her father draw on his tonfas to protect them and she could already feel the fear take its hold.

"Chisa, can you tell me that story again? About the one where your family goes on that fishing trip?"

Sibyll moves to intercept an aggressor, thrusting his Cane into the man's throat before kicking him off.

"Mama and Papa wanted take me on a picnic to a nearby river."

The Cane strikes the temple of a woman garbed in homely attire, her apron splotched with blood. A sickening crunch followed and Sibyll switched his weapon into whip form.

"She made a lot of snacks. Really good ones."

Sibyll fired his shouldered Blunderbuss, staggering a bitten guardsman and eviscerated him, surprising Cormack and scaring Chisa with the sheer noise of the action. The young girl began to whimper but Sibyll picked up on it.

"And your father?"

"Papa tried to catch fish. But he isn't very good at it."

"Is he that terrible?"

The Cane whips across torsos and limbs, injuring and keeping the afflicted at bay.

"He's really bad."

"I am not _that_ bad," Cormack comments as he swings his tonfa at another inflicted. The blade misses but it is enough to ward of the infected young teen. Sibyll follows up with the whip, wrapping it around the girl's neck and pulling her away from the Cormack and Chisa.

"What happened after that?" Sibyll pressed as flung the body towards the mob, knocking them down.

"We ate a lot of sweets. Mama makes really good pumpkin pie when the weather gets cold. It's especially good when it's fresh."

Sibyll fires his gun and uses the knock back to create an opening for Cormack to rush through. He narrowly misses an outstretched hand grabbing for his daughter but his blade cuts it away from them. Sibyll maintains the opening as best as he can before he's surrounded.

"I never had that before," Sibyll adds as he fires another quicksilver bullet into the crowd, forcing another opening. "What does it taste like?"

"Like a pumpkin."

"Of course."

Sibyll made his way out of the converging mob, leading them towards the direction of the gate. Looking over, he could see the mob give chase in their slowed pace. But Sibyll and Cormack were able to keep a distance away from the drawing crowd and gave the young girl a pat on the back.

"Thank you Chisa, I feel much more courageous now. We are almost at the gate so just hold onto your father tightly."

Turning another corner, Sibyll raised his Cane just in time to catch the edge of a red blade and Yang stopping briefly to see who they encountered.

"Still alive? I almost expected you to die first," Adam commented as he withdrew his blade. Sibyll shrugged before looking behind them to find a similar crowd following.

"Sanctuary is just ahead. Let us depart," the young hunter spoke as he and Adam took to the rear. As Yang passed him up, Sibyll noticed the state of her partner and cocked an eyebrow to the former mentor. Adam shook his head, refusing to elaborate but Sibyll stated the source of their fears.

"She was bitten," the young hunter murmured.

"She wasn't," Yang spat back as she continued onward. Cormack looked over at them, a worried look on his face before he held his daughter tighter.

"Regardless, there is nothing else that can be done for her. Allow me to ease her paint."

"Oh, like you're doing for the others? Yeah, fuck you."

From the alleyways, more of the afflicted emerged and began to approach them. Sibyll and Adam took to the front, keeping them at bay with slashes and whips as best they could before chasing after the retreating group once more.

"You are forcing her to suffer a terrible fate," Sibyll tried to reason.

"We can still save her! There has to be something we can do!"

Sibyll could hear Chisa begin to whimper and knew any more arguing with Yang would be moot. But it was foolish to keep someone carrying the scourge of the beast. Even placing aside the accelerated symptoms the faunus were showing, a human with the disease would only meet the same fate. Sibyll didn't exchange many words with the young lady, but it was his duty to put down any who were sick. It was nothing personal but Yang Xiao Long made it a point of being personal. Before he could interject, Cormack yelled out in pain and the young hunter turned to find a little boy, with horns peeking out of his messy hair, sink his teeth into the father's unprotected hand.

"Papa! What's wrong!?" Chisa cried as her father tried to shake off the sick child.

"It's fine hun… Just… Grrr…"

Sibyll moved in quickly, prying the jaws open and throwing the boy off to the side. Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger of his firearm and the boy's head was reduced to a splatter on a wall as he approached Cormack. The bite itself was small, a jagged crescent on the out part of Cormack's right hand.

The young hunter didn't need to look at the father to see the terrified look in his eyes. He didn't need to say anything as his fate was as just assured as Blake's and everyone else that remained in the town. All Sibyll could do was usher him onward for Chisa's sake and continue to guard the young girl. The neared the gate without any further obstruction and was met with Coco, Velvet, Ruby, and what appeared to be armed automatons.

Humanoid in appearance, they marched forward into the town as the group passed through the gates. Cormack put his daughter down, Sibyll standing by the young girl, as she takes off the blindfold.

"You did very well little one," Sibyll spoke. Chisa nodded but her concerns were on her father as he began to wrap the wound on his hands. Small hands carefully reached out, hoping to will away the bite and make her father better. Yang rushes by them and into one of the nearest transport ships, leaving the rest (including Ruby) behind. The young reaper caught a brief look at Blake but and grew worried over the state of her teammate.

"Yang!" Ruby called after her sister but was rebuffed. Taking a quick glance at Sibyll, she followed after them as Coco confirmed the situation.

"Is this the last of them?" Coco asked as she looked over their group.

"Only the girl," Sibyll added before turning to Cormack and Chisa. He gave Cormack a firm squeeze on the shoulder with sorrow in his eyes. Even as he held his daughter close, Sibyll could only shake his head silently and allowed him a moment with his family before the oncoming worse.

Whatever words of comfort, whatever lies were needed to be told, Sibyll would give him space necessary for them to be said. Chisa would become another child orphaned by the scourge. Just like the many who wandered the streets of Yharnam alone and like the little girl who was left home alone. He could hear Chisa begin to cry, pleading that her father comes with her. Cormack held her daughter close, squeezing as much affection into his embrace as he could before allowing Velvet to take her away into another transport ship.

Chisa called for the young hunter, crying and begging that he help her father. Even as her voice grew fainter and fainter, the words themselves were barbs with his inability to do anything for them. He approached Cormack who stood alone in silence, eyes cast downward, as the noise of the town grew. The mechanical men had begun firing upon the crowd, aiming at non-vital areas with the hopes of subduing them. But the non-lethal rubber rounds did nothing to subdue them and the encroaching mass continued their unrelenting charge.

"They're gonna escape the town if we don't do anything," Coco stated as she prepared her minigun. "And we can't allow them to be hurt."

"Or can you."

Coco looked at Sibyll stunned at his suggestion as the young hunter prepared his weapons once more.

"What is it exactly that you're implying?" the captain challenged as she revved up her weapon. She trained her eyes on Sibyll, prepared to subdue him, violently if necessary but she couldn't allow the infected citizens to leave the now quarantined walls.

"I have seen and dealt with this once before. If we wish to keep them confined within the wall, then we'll close the gates from within. It would grant you enough time to bring those under your care to safety. I will make sure their end is swift and painless."

"Awfully convenient for you to sacrifice yourself," Coco bit back.

"That may be, but you have your work and I have mine."

"Slaughtering an entire village is something you frequently do?"

"If I must do so, then yes."

She glared at the young hunter, turning her weapon on him and with the threat to pull the trigger. Sibyll stood his ground and remained unmoved her attempts to intimidate him. The young hunter respected their cause and their work, but they were merely children armed to fight a different set of monsters.

Coco was about to rebuttal before Ruby called out to them from their transport ship.

"Sibyll!"

Ruby cupped her hands, hoping that her voice would care across the open field.

"It's Blake! Her fever kicked in we can't hold her down! She's not responding when we call and she's continuing to burn up!"

Sibyll looked over to where the young reaper stood, waiting for him expectantly. She gripped her hood tightly and felt her heart sink as the young hunter turned away to face the town.

"The longer we prolong this, the more likely the town will create an outbreak. I cannot allow that to happen. Adam, Cormack…"

Sibyll began to make his way to the gate with both men in toe. It was then Coco decided that, liability or not, she couldn't risk him escaping alongside a White Fang member. All Coco had to do was bring back alive if not whole.

" **PLEASE SIBYLL!** "

The young hunter paused in Ruby's cry of desperation. It was the kind of cry that would plead and barter with him, with imminent death before he silenced them. He could feel the misery from the dreaded situation and dash of hope being gambled away on the chance that he _could_ save the young woman. It was child's hope, a prayer made within the chaos and bloodshed of a violent world wanting to be heard. Even with all her doubt and suspicion of him, Ruby Rose still placed a portion of her faith in him.

He could have considered her blindly naive.

There was nothing else **he** could do but any other option that was tried was out of **his** authority.

But Ruby gambled a fading life on him.

"You said there might be a way that could help! An _exception_ that could save her! Please, let Blake be that exception! Whatever it is you want or need, I'll do my best to give it to you! But just please… **PLEASE SAVE MY FRIEND!** "

His fists gripped his weapons tightly, mulling over what could possibly be done to save one already damned.

And even if he _tried,_ who could say that they would treat him better at Beacon. It was made apparent that he was sought after as a dubious character and he doubted that Ozpin or Ironwood would be keen on hearing him out any further. He had no leverage to bargain with. All Sibyll had were an agreement with Adam to work toward destroying the artifacts with the hopes usurping another character entirely.

But...would that be enough?

"Mister Taurus, I apologize for shouldering the responsibility on to you. But it is necessary you work with Cormack to secure the town while I depart," Sibyll said as he turned to the bull faunus. "Just get the gates to close and leave when you can. There is no need for you to take unnecessary risk in Addersfield any longer."

"You won't be able to leave their hold if you go back," Adam warned.

"I understand. But I believe this would be the best option for us both." Sibyll turned to Coco and tucked away his weapons. "I will come with you under the conditions that you make no move to pursue Mister Taurus after the situation is resolved. Vouch on his behalf for his cooperation as he already paid his dues and more with the risk of what we are asking of him."

"I can't agree to those terms. Your ties to the White Fang make you an enemy to the kingdom where you'll be tried before the law. And we just can't let a White Fang member go simply because you asked. He has crucial information as well."

"So you would risk losing someone within enemy ranks?"

Adam gave Sibyll a threatening look before drawing his blade.

"You think I'll turn traitor for you just because some of your guesses were right?"

"That is the thing, Adam: you are in no way betraying your people and cause. Rather, think of it as a means to root out the one's pulling the strings. You yourself claimed your people will never face being controlled again, but even you have your doubts."

Sibyll gestured to himself and then to the Adam.

"Whoever it is you work for has placed a great deal of trust in you to come find me. But, why? Why another human if you so detest humankind? What is it about **me** that intrigue them?"

Sibyll looked between both Coco and Adam. Both understood what his deal proposed and the risks that went along with it.

Adam could invariably expose Cinder and her plot against the kingdom if her motives involve risking the lives of is brethren. How was she no better than a Schnee, giving orders and assuming authority simply because she had the means but not the numbers? And if Sibyll was correct in warning of the risks of what his organization was after… How would that be in favor for Cinder and her part? Why allow the Faunus to attain an object, a relic, a god damn means for greater power than take it herself? She was more than capable than a majority of the recruits. But why bait them with promises of enhanced abilities? What were the risks? And what if Sibyll's plan was just a ploy to trap him?

Coco couldn't allow both Sibyll and Adam to simply go. Who was to say they would turn up again if ever? And if she _were_ able to bring them back, would they even cooperate? The time spent breaking a man in hopes of spilled secrets could be used with working in conjunction with them: someone within the White Fang to feed them information to a much larger threat. And if Sibyll already established a link with Adam, they could invariably earn his trust by extension to at least take out the major players. But Sibyll could just be throwing empty words as a ruse. And if fallout soon followed afterward, it would not only be her name that's marked for treason but her team as well.

"I am of no use to your cause if there are other characters at work Adam. My hands would be just as tied as yours and if they grow aware of our agreement, it would be the many against us two. With Beacon, I would have the resources necessary to know what we may deal with and how to properly act. As Beacon itself, Ozpin deserves a chance to be properly warned with the evidence at hand. Hopefully he will be inclined to listen if we have something he may want. Consider myself a liaison for both your causes."

Sibyll look toward the gate as the automatons began to be overwhelmed. But their numbers were enough to distract them from leaving the town's walls.

"You may sort out your feelings within you own time," Sibyll added. The young hunter turned Cormack who remained silent throughout the entire discussion. He rested a hand on the man's shoulders and met his eyes straight on.

Regret

Fear

Pain

Sorrow

Resignation

"Give me your word that Chisa will be safe. You owe me that much," Cormack demanded. Sibyll placed a hand over his heart and gave him a sincere bow, the last kind gesture he would see before the infection sets in.

"On my life."

Cormack nods and walks towards the gate in silence. Any words of thanks, apologies, or consolations Sibyll could give the man would be useless now. They both knew that if the young hunter truly meant what his intentions implied, then Chisa's future and well being would attest to that.

Adam continues to glare at Sibyll who responds with an equally neutral expression.

"You know were I can be found, Mister Taurus."

The bull faunus turns and follows after the man and the young hunter walks over toward where Ruby stood, watching the entire exchange but unsure of what changed his mind. He stops before her, looking down at her before looking into the ship.

Weiss appeared to be resting, exhausted by the battle and asleep for now. Yang hovered over her partner as a thin man with green hair worked at mending the wounds. The brawler's worried expression bled through her tough exterior as she assisted as best she could and holding her partner's hands when she couldn't.

"Her life is not yours to barter," Sibyll said as he returned looking at the young reaper. She flinched away from his words but placed a reassuring hand atop her head, as if understanding her anxiety.

"I have to try. I can't give up on her without trying…"

The young hunter began to feel the weight of fatigue hit him as well, and rubbing away the dried blood away from his face. It had been a long night, one that could have been averted had they listened or heeded his warning. How long could he allow this to continue if many would impede his work? How many more nights would have to pass before he could prevent a much larger outbreak?

"I will do my best to delay the infection. But I cannot promise anything to you." Sibyll made his way inside the ship towards the unconscious Blake. "Come along Ruby, I will need your help if I am to try and save your friend."

"What can I do to help?"

"We are going to need to draw a great deal of blood."

* * *

 **A/N: Oh the things I have in store for you, for Blake, and the next concluding chapter.**


	11. From Shadows, Rebirth

**A/N: Here it finally is. The moment that everyone was waiting in anticipation for. Some of you wondered, some of you guessed. But now, we will have our answer. We will finally find out with whatever happened to Zwei.**

* * *

The metal hatch closed behind Sibyll and Ruby as they stepped into the ship, feeling the hull take off from the ground and upward to the sky. His body leaned off balance, swaying to fall under the foreign motion until Ruby supported him as best she could. Sibyll placed a steady hand on her shoulder as he approached to where Blake was being treated. Yang looked up, glaring threateningly before looking to Ruby for an explanation.

"He's here to help," Ruby explained.

"We're not letting him anywhere near Blake. Better yet, he should be tied up for killing those people in the town!"

Sibyll ignored her threat and moved to stand closer to Blake. Yang intercepted him quickly, grabbing him by his bloodied collar and raising a fist a warning; Ember Celica shifted into place as an added warning.

"STAY AWAY FROM HER!" she roared. Her golden hair alighted and Sibyll could feel the intense heat on his face as the stared down the brawler.

"If she is going to succumb to the disease, we can only ease the process. It is better that she not suffer any more unnecessary pain."

"BASTARD!" Yang threw her punch as the green haired man spoke up.

"Enough, Miss Xiao Long! I simply cannot work with you causing a ruckus. Yield any and all violent actions until we arrive at Beacon. There's no possible means of escape for him unless the gentleman wishes fall from a great height. Remain on standby for now."

Yang looked toward the man with green hair as he returned to tending to the afflicted girl. The brawler turned to face Sibyll and was surprised that he had not even flinched at her attack. His body made not motions to move out of her punch, only tilting his head to the side and avoiding the strike. But his neutral expression only served to infuriate her further, shoving him away and standing close by for Blake's sake. Sibyll began to take off his leather gloves, putting aside his bag and equipment, and finally shrugged off his dirtied coat.

Taking a quick look around, the young hunter noticed the vessel was much smaller than the ones transporting the faunus refugees. The cabin looked more sterile and further inspection showed a more medical focus in terms of its primary use. Shelves and cabinets holding supplies and medicines and strange contraptions he guessed were used for on the field treatments. Seeing a basing and faucet fixture, Sibyll moved toward it and took a clean hand towel from the cabinet above them. Rinsing the cloth, he cleaned away the cocktail from his face; wiping around his neck, behind the ears, and the sweat/blood mixture from his hair. If he was going to try, the young hunter would make an effort to be hygienic about the cloth away into a metal bin, Sibyll handed the container to Ruby who looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"Burn this if you can. Better to not contaminate this vessel any further."

Sibyll walked over to the man with green hair, peering over his shoulder to observe how the wounds were being treated. The bandage-work looked hasty but had stopped the bleeding of unsightly wounds; three grievous lines were enough to scar the young girl's body for the rest of life, if she were to survive. But the young hunter noticed the frayed edges of the wounds turn an off color, unsure whether the symptoms had already escalated to rotting stage. Blake's face looked much more flush, a sheen of perspiration reflecting the vessel's internal lights. Her breathing sounded short and painfully forced, with a small hint of a wheeze upon her exhales.

The symptoms were similar to those afflicted in Yharnam but it took habitual consumption of the tainted blood for signs to show. Sibyll was right to assume something was causing the plague to develop quickly within the infected faunus, and if she were in the same state…

Walking around to the head of the girl, Sibyll reached for her bow long before Yang could verbally protest. Pulling the ribbon loose, he found a set of purple ears with cat-like features and could hear the Ruby attempt to hold back her older sister. Ignoring the shouts and swears, he turned to the green haired man that had taken a pause in his treatment.

"What is her condition?" Sibyll asked.

"Unstable as of now," the man spoke. He ran his hands through his wild green hair and turn to the young hunter, eyes hidden being a pair of round spectacles. "I haven't seen anything of such severity and yet my knowledge of medicine and diseases confirm that she suffers some form of septicemia, or blood infection."

Sibyll reached out, placing a finger at the side of her neck to find her heart rate beating at a rapid face. Feeling the temperature now, her skin was aflame with heightened temperature and the young hunter turned back to his current company.

"Such symptoms should not be present this early on. If my guess is correct, her faunus heritage is source of the accelerating process like the rest left behind."

"That is completely unheard of," the bespectacled man commented. "What sort of infection would cause a hastened progression of symptoms, even without the disregard of heritage to the patient itself? Such things are the product of misconceived notions of early civilizations, an era pre-medicine, where conjectures were motivated by superstition and fear of the unknown. To go as far as to assume her faunus lineage is the core element of your diagnosis, in a modern sense mind you, is simply preposterous, baseless, and borderline discriminatory. So please, enlighten me as to what sort of disease would cause such a thing."

Sibyll was impressed by how much the man could speak at such a pace, yet remain civilized in his derision. The young hunter turned his attention back to the girl at hand and began to roll up his sleeves.

"One that turns men and women into beasts."

He set to work as Yang, Ruby, and the man watched him: observing how carefully Sibyll was to study the wounds without agitating it further, inspecting her limbs and teeth (focusing on the girl's canines), and checking her eyes for…something. After a brief look over the girl, they could feel the ship descend and land on something solid with the engines dying down. Ruby looked out one of the few windows to find that they were docked within the larger airships hull. The rescued faunus were already being treated by the medical and relief staff with Team CFVY among their ranks.

"Maybe we should get extra help? I can just-"

"Under no circumstances are you to open that door," Sibyll warned as he began to search though the shelves. He acquired newer bandages and what he hoped was a transfusion kit, setting them down beside Blake before returning to the sink.

"We cannot risk further contamination," Yang clenched her fists at hearing these words, "and it would be best to not let them know my presence is here as well. They believe I am responsible for their misfortune and I cannot help but agree with them."

Sibyll placed his hands on both sides of the sink, waiting for his Messengers to arrive. Of course it was his fault for the chain of events that had transpired since his arrival. He was responsible for the lives lost and confined within that town. He had let another child suffer a lonely fate and other forces were at work beyond his control. A man marked as a murderer would have difficulty finding allies, much less progression in his work, and would have to depend on Ozpin willing to deal with his proposition. It is precarious and dangerous gamble that may cost him more than imprisonment.

"Uh, Sibyll?" Ruby asked as she stood next to him. She still held the metal waste bin and was unsure of why he wanted to burn the cloth.

"I need you to bring me the dittany extract," he mumbled to himself.

Ruby looked at him confused, stepping closer and followed his eyes to where it stared at the empty sink. She looked back to him and found him staring very intently as what could very well be nothing.

"A what extract?" she asked.

"I apologize, Ruby, but I am not addressing you at the moment."

"Oh! Uh, okay!" She hides her face behind the bin and simply watches as Sibyll speaks to someone other than them in the room.

The young hunter turns his attention to his Messengers collected into the sink. They watched him intently as he began to give out his orders.

"You'll find a black bottle with a red label among my other belongings. Do you understand?"

The Messenger with the top hat nodded and disappeared beneath the ethereal glow. Sibyll turns his attention to Messengers wearing an urn and soiled bandages, nodding at them to follow the first.

"You two must bring me a draught of ether and the Dagr Root Salve. The young miss will be in enough pain as it is and if it bears too much, we will have to place her in unconsciousness once more. Go now," he ordered and they departed.

Sibyll turned to final Messenger in the sink, wearing the white bow, and pulled out the tearstone he kept in his pocket. He held it out for the creature to take as empty eyes looked up to him questioningly.

"I understand that the others had difficulty searching, but… I need you to find _her_ for me if it is still possible. I can only do so much with what I know but I cannot stop what is inevitable. Find her, please. She knows what should be done."

The small creature placed its hand on the young hunter's before disappearing. Just as it left, the other three returned carrying various bottles and holding them out to their master. Sibyll took the items and ordered for them to follow after the one with the white ribbon with the hopes of keeping it safe from whatever abyss they traveled too. But this interaction could not go unnoticed, not when the other observers could see the pale light glow from the sink and bottles manifesting into existence.

With everything needed in hand, Sibyll approached Blake and began to remove the makeshift bandages. He deposited the scraps it the bin Ruby held and began to tear off the ruined clothes protecting Blake's modesty.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Yang roared as she approached Sibyll.

"She cannot be treated properly if she continues to wear her dirtied garments. Now please, allow me to work."

"Over my dead—"

Yang's body suddenly collapsed as the green haired man caught her. His hands carried a small verdant glow that disappeared and he set the brawler down carefully onto a separate bed.

"Thank you for subduing her. It would only prove more difficult to treat the young lady with her partner in a furious state. And I take it that if you have come from Beacon you must be one of their professors?"

" _Doctor_ actually. Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck."

"A pleasure."

"I hope you don't mind having Yang take her much needed rest Ruby," Oobleck said to the young reaper. Ruby tried to give a sympathetic smile before Sibyll motioned for her to step closer. She stood by him as he removed all the tarnished clothes of Blake's upper body and put them in the held container. Even in her unconscious state, Ruby felt it was wrong to have to treat Blake the way she was in all her exposure. Even Oobleck had been respectful to look away but she saw that Sibyll did not pause in his work to gawk or stare. He was busy checking the contents of the strange bottles and looking over to the transfusion kit.

"We are going to need to hold her down," Sibyll spoke as he gestured to Blake's arms and legs. He uncorked a black bottle and prepared it over the girl's wounds as he glanced back to them. "This process is most certainly going to hurt and she is going to wake up. We cannot allow her to thrash about and open her wounds further."

Ruby shared a look with Oobleck before setting down the bin close by. She carefully placed her hands on Blake's upper arms as the doctor places his on the ankles.

"Alright, just let us know when—" Ruby began before Sibyll poured the extract on the wounds.

Blake's eyes shot open as she felt a sharp, burning sensation trail slowly across her chest. She began to scream, hoping to fight off the pain: a deliberately slow knife, tempered with a forge's heat, which set her body ablaze. Her limbs struggled as the feeling returned once more, trailing a difference part of her chest, but found that something weighed her down. The room was too bright and her ears filled with deafening noise, muffled voices saying something to her. Her screams filled the space as she felt a third pain began surge. It was too much for her to bear, her throat growing hoarse as she vented her suffering the only way she could. Figures and colors swarmed her sight before she felt a cloth cover her nose and mouth. It smelt off, with an odor she couldn't place, as her heightened senses tried to make sense of it. It made her head feel fuzzy, a buzzing building within the cranial cavity that turned into an itch that couldn't be scratched. Blake felt her face grew hot and her body felt displaced… Was she sinking? Black began to form around the edges of her vision and she lost consciousness once more.

Ruby didn't know what to make of what she saw. The liquid that Sibyll poured over Blake's wounds caused an unnatural sizzling noise as it burned away the off colored flesh. Even as she pressed down on Blake's limbs to hold the girl in place, Ruby felt sick as she watched Sibyll apply the mixture on her other wounds. To the same effect, all the putrid flesh cleansed and her wound returned to its natural red color. Sibyll placed the bottle aside and took up another, dousing the contents onto a clean rag and placing it over Blake's face. She watched as her teammate's struggle began to lessen and come to a still.

The young reaper stepped away as Sibyll opened a much larger jar and began to apply a green, thick substance over the wounds. His fingers did not pause in their haste as ran his hands over her exposed flesh, covering injured inch with the mysterious salves. Sibyll took up the fresh bandages and motioned for Oobleck to lift the girl up, wrapping around the wounds securely before setting her down to rest.

"What was it that concoction you gave to Miss Belladonna?" Oobleck inquire as he eyed the clearly aged bottles.

"Dittany extract. A very difficult plant to find where I come from but has properties to cleanse rot from wounds very efficiently. The salve is meant to help ease her pain and prevent any further putrefying but that is all I can do. She has lost too much blood and I am not sure if she will succumb to that or the bite."

"But!" Ruby interjected as she pointed to the transfusion kit. "You said you can help!"

"I stated that I would do my best to delay the infection. I have done so but your friend will eventually turn as they all do."

"Then why would we need to draw a lot blood!?"

"There may be a chance to save her life."

Ruby paused in her follow-up rebuttal to allow her face to scrunch up in confusion.

"Hold on, that doesn't make any sense. If she's going to turn into… one of those things, then how does she still have a chance?"

"Like I have said before young miss, it is not within **my** authority to save her. My role as a Hunter is just that: I hunt. All else is deemed secondary or unnecessary as I am oath bound to hunt my quarry, whichever that may be. But if your friend is to survive, then we shall see for ourselves."

Sibyll placed his hand on Blake's forehead and found that her fever had lessened. It was not to a great amount but it was enough to keep the girl stable before the sickness takes hold.

"And what is this 'authority' you answer to as I am inclined to asked?" Oobleck questioned as he stood closer to the young hunter.

"I…am unsure."

Sibyll frowned at the thought. It was an almost blatant thing of note that he had missed during his night of the hunt. Granted, Gehrman had been his master and mentor. It was he who had taught the young hunter how to fend for himself, how to hunt and survive. He was man who had seen his fair share of nights and beasts but even the young hunter felt there was something amiss about him. It was as if he was observing a displaced relic behind glass carrying a history the young hunter did not know. Gehrman is the First Hunter among many but how long ago had that been?

Even the Doll was unsure of such things. Sibyll had asked her about it once and even she could not remember anything beyond the Dream. The Doll was a product of such a place and even if her knowledge of limited there was something unusual about her as well.

"My mentor and his companion were the only two I have ever answered to in my line of work. Their whereabouts are currently unknown though… I can only hope that my Messenger is able to find her as she is the most important component as of now. Until then, we wait."

"Wait for what?" Ruby asked.

Sibyll then searched through his pack, sifting through whatever was left of his supplies, and procuring some matches used to light his torch. Taking a few from the box, he struck them alight and dropped them into the metal bin. The scraps of cloth and bandages ignited and the small fire burned them away.

"A sign."

* * *

 **{So, where was Zwei?}**

Zwei made his way through Forever Fall Forest, careful not to drop the delicate packages under his care. For the old corgi, the trip had been an ordeal but it was not without due cause. He didn't know what it was about his mistresses but they were clearly upset by something, especially Ruby.

She came back to her room clearly distraught and for weeks cried out in her sleep. He did his best to comfort her but he could only do so much. Zwei had looked around at his other mistresses: Yang, the white one, and the cat one. They too were unable to help Ruby with her sufferings and it pained him to see her so. After a particularly bad spell of nightmares, the faithful companion vowed to do something to ease her sorrow.

He had made that promise once before when Ruby and Yang were much younger. And the Mistress then, the one whose hood was white, had made him in charge of looking after her girls. He didn't know what he could do to help them but Zwei's journey had been fruitful. Saddled on his back were four sets of flowers carrying (what he hoped were) the natures of girls under his care.

For Ruby, it had been relatively easy. The Emerald Forest had a few surprises tucked away from both man and Grimm as the corgi came across rose bushes of various colors. Walking about, he decided on picking the white ones with the tips. He was careful to not ruin the thorn-less stems as he chewed through them, settling them carefully into a leather pocket. Zwei hoped that they would remind her of her mother, even if she was sometimes sad over the thought. Through his eyes, Ruby was a lot like her and whenever the girls were away Summer would look sad too. It was only when Yang and Ruby decided to bring flowers of her namesake did she ever light up. He hoped Ruby would do the same.

Yang was just as easy as the poor dog had to struggle to balance the weight of the sunflowers he gathered. They were much harder to get as he ventured further into the forest to find the golden fields. She stood tall like them and glowed just as brightly, even if she tried to hide the signs of wilting. When Summer never came home, Zwei watched how Yang took it upon herself to bear the weight and hold the family together. She never cried in front of Ruby and did her best to bring Taiyang out of his slump. It was only by chance when he was walking about did he find the blonde girl skip school and wander off. He had followed her, hoping to keep her out of trouble when he heard the young girl crying by herself, hidden away in small sunflower path. He followed her scent and when found, Zwei simply nuzzled against her as she poured out her sorrows. It was a secret just between them and sometimes Yang would return to that field whenever they went on a walk.

The one called Weiss was a bit difficult to search for. Zwei noticed that she was more reserved with his Mistresses but carried a soft spot for him. Sometimes, she would lie in her bed with him at her side as she hummed along to a song he couldn't hear. It would be a sad tune and he knew that something bothered her as well. Even if she spoiled him whenever Ruby or Yang weren't looking, he could tell that girl was oddly lonely, considering the large company she kept. The corgi hopes that the violets he found would be enough to cheer her up, even just a little bit.

But for the cat one was the most strenuous for the corgi. Zwei didn't understand why the girl called Blake avoided him or stayed at very high places in the room. Whenever he looked at her, she had made the effort to ignore him or simply ask Weiss to move him. He knew she wasn't being mean spirited on purpose but the corgi hoped to make some form of progress with his mistress' new friend. Yang certainly got along well with her and the corgi hoped for the same, which is why Zwei hoped the single lily he found in Forever Fall Forest would be enough to extend a friendship between them.

Zwei began to approach the border where red mingled with green. He knew he was coming close to where the girls had stayed and decided to quicken the pace of his return

As he walked up the steps leading to the open courtyard, he noticed that this place called Beacon had changed since he was last there. Some of the people were erecting several tents, uniformed students scurrying about with boxes and strange people dressed in metal directing the process. A sharp scent wafted by his nose and turning his head, found that someone dressed in white was preparing cloths and clear liquids. Deciding to keep out of the way, Zwei made his way to where he thought Ruby's family stayed, following familiar scents and entering the building through an opportune door. Some of the other students gave him strange looks but the corgi continued to climb the stairs to find a familiar floor.

He passed by three people smelling like dust and turned to give them a quick look. One was a young man dressed in grey with hair of a similar color. He looked bored and oddly tired despite how early the day had been. The other was a girl with dark skin, green colored hair, and starkly crimson eyes that merely looked him over with slight disinterest. The last one was a woman with dark colored hair and light amber eyes, studying him curiously as she came to a stop.

"Hmm…" the woman hummed to herself as she noticed him and his saddle of flowers.

"Well that's *yawn* not something you see often? You think the mutt belongs to a student?" the grey boy asked.

"Probably, but who would let their dog out in the open. Maybe it's a teacher's?" the green hair girl countered.

"Whatever, it's not our problem." The boy yawned again, stretching his limbs while the green haired girl chastised him. Zwei noticed that silent of the three had bent down and reached a hand out to him. He approached the woman, allowing her to pet him as he took in the scent of dust. It was more prominent with her but so was Weiss whenever the corgi had watched her sort out her dust supplies.

"Go along now," she spoke as she stood. Zwei barked in response and set off down to a familiar door, hoping to surprise his mistresses. He began to scratch at the base of the closed door, awaiting for the moment that Ruby, Weiss, or Yang would answer and let him in.

He waited.

And he waited some more.

He barked, hoping to wake them if they slept in.

He scratched at the door and began to whine.

It was odd that they wouldn't answer and he pressed his ear against the door.

Silence.

No one was home but it wasn't a first. Zwei settled himself down beside the door and would wait for the moment all four girls would come home. It had taken him a while, maybe a week at most to gather the flowers. Yang and Ruby would surely be concerned over his absence but maybe he could make up for that.

"Ren! Look! It's that dog that Ruby and her team are hiding!" Nora whispered loudly into her friend's ear. Ren quirks an eyebrow over at the presence dog and calls out to him.

"Zwei?"

Bark!

"Are you waiting for Team RWBY to return?"

Bark, bark!

"They won't be back for a while but I'm more surprised you aren't with them. They never told you they were leaving?"

Whimper, whine.

"Ah… Well, would you like to wait inside our room until they arrive? I'm sure our leader wouldn't mind."

Zwei looks back at RWBY's door expectantly.

"We'll keep our door open just in case."

A nod followed by happy panting.

Ren unlocks the door as Nora excitedly questioned his ability to speak with animals, allowing the corgi to enter. Within Team JNPR's quarters, Jaune looks over at their new visitor questioningly before Ren nods over to the room across the hall. The knight simply nods his head understandingly and gave the dog a few comforting words. Zwei barked back in response and allowed himself to lie down, waiting for the girls to come home.

* * *

Hours passed as Ruby watched Sibyll sleep next to Blake. His shoulders slumped down as his body settled against the small seat, with hands poised carefully over the hilt of his blade. He had warned them of his next course of action should Blake turn for the worse and would enact upon them without restraint or consent. If Ruby's friend showed signs of aggression, Sibyll would step in and end her life as painlessly as he could. Oobleck tried to dissuade him of any such action, stating such rash actions would is completely unnecessary. But by then, Sibyll had allowed himself to rest as the doctor's words went unheard. The young hunter's words had be a forewarning and Ruby wasn't sure if he would really go through it before Oobleck could interfere. She could only hope that Blake wouldn't give him any reason to follow through with his word.

Yang had recovered from her sudden knock out and while she couldn't vent her frustrations at the doctor, she decided to keep an eye on her partner. The brawler watched as Sibyll remained relatively still as his body rose and fell with each breath. Every now and then, he would stir in sleep as if troubled by a thought or memory. Whenever his hand gripped his weapon tightly, Yang would tense up until his grip eased and loosened. Ruby had explained everything that transpired but the brawler couldn't agree with it.

Even Oobleck had his doubts yet the man remained firm in waiting for whatever Sibyll –a stranger who threatened to kill her partner – was planning to do. From the pilots of the carrier ship, they were due to arrive at Beacon soon but Blake had yet to wake from her unconscious state. Even as she noticed the cleaner bandages covering Blake's entire torso, Yang couldn't trust the man's intentions.

"Yang…" Ruby called out.

The brawler turned to her sister as the young reaper looked over Weiss. Ruby had her share of worries and it had shown greatly with the shadow under her eyes. The girl had yet to rest but did her best to remain resolute throughout the ordeal.

"They'll be okay," the young reaper said more for her sake. Yang nodded and returned to watching over Blake as she stirred awake, a painful grimace on the faunus' face. The brawler moved around Sibyll to stand closer to her, placing a comforting hand on hers.

"Hrgggh…" Blake groans as she finally comes to. There is a heavy feeling in the pit of her stomach, the inside of her head thumping alongside her pulse, and she felt a subtle burn across her chest. Her eyes open blearily to find a metal ceiling and lilac eyes beneath a curtain of golden hair. Blake didn't know why her partner looked so distraught, but she squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Hey…" the cat faunus called out.

"You had us worried there for a moment, you know? But you're okay now and that's what matters." Yang shot her one of her signature grins and Blake couldn't help by smile in return. She still wanted to rest but with the out of place setting had set her on edge as she tried to crane her neck to look about.

"Where are we?" she asks the brawler.

"On a ship headed back to Beacon and before you ask, yes. We were able to save some of the townsfolk and they should be able to receive help when we land."

"That's good."

Blake began to feel an itch alongside the burning across her chest. She reached up to tend to her unease until the tips of her fingers felt bandages. Her brow furrowed as she traced the wrap across her chest and look to Yang for an explanation. When her partner's look of concern worsened, Blake decided to prod her for an explanation.

"What happened to me?"

"…You…don't remember?"

She tried to think back to the last moment she remembered. Her and Yang were guarding one of the town's walls when the Grimm incursion began, preventing the beasts from breaching the walls until a few did. They gave chase after a Beowolf before losing it among the buildings and began their work in treating the victims left behind. There was something about the townspeople turning agitated and violent and she tried to protect someone.

She found herself cornered in a tight space with bodies swarming the exits. Upward she went and following the sounds of battle found Adam. Even after everything he'd done, everything **they** had done, she lent him her aid in fending off the mob. Her blade tinged with lightening as she subdued them, feeling drained of her aura and could only watch as Adam finished one of the beasts. He was just as tired as she was and was unable to see the Beowolf tucked away on a rooftop watching him. Adam didn't know that he was exposed to an oncoming strike as the Beowolf licked at its claws hungrily, lathering it with a slick coat of foul smelling saliva. Blake could only watch as the beast lunged at her former mentor, her former friend, and see another loose end of her past life tied up neatly.

She could have let Adam die, to atone for his sins in front of whatever gods or entities watched over them if any existed at all. He couldn't hurt any more innocent humans who were not at fault for the oppression of their people and it would be a great blow against the White Fang's morale. One of their greatest warriors felled by the beasts they should have been fighting all along.

Blake could have let Adam die as her body propelled itself forward, using the remainder of her aura to intervene the attack before he could be hurt. Even as the claws left their mark across her body, she realized that she could have forever closed that part of her life away with no evidence or trace to her now.

So why?

" _Why did I save him?"_ were her thoughts as her body crashed through someone's home and her wounds burned and bled with pain. Despite the degree of civility he had shown at dinner, Adam was still a killer. He was a monster who disregarded life whenever necessary and non-Faunus. He wasn't above murder and brutality, so why?

"Ah," Blake sighed. "So that's how it is."

"It'll be okay though Blakey! We'll get someone professional to look at you and stop whatever it is that's making you unwell. Before you know it, you'll be in top shape once more."

Blake could almost hear the desperation in her partner's words. The brawler's hands squeezed hers with more assurance but the faunus could tell her partner was trying to remain positive for her sake. Yet Blake couldn't ignore what she had seen for herself when those Beowolves attacked the townspeople. They had turned into something aggressive and began to attack those uninjured. Blake had the injuries that would testify to what would eventually change her but she wanted to doubt, to challenge fate if she could.

" _Is that what's going to happen to me?"_

" **No!"** Yang answered the faunus' thoughts with firm determination. "We won't let that happen to you. You'll be fine, so don't make that face like you've already given up. Just… stay awake and let us know if anything feels off."

Blake nodded and returned her eyes to the bandages on her body.

"Well, it's good to see that you paid attention in class for once."

Yang's face hardened and was not missed by the young girl.

"That wasn't my work."

Blake gave her a confused look before following where Yang's eyes turned to.

"It was _his_."

Sibyll remained asleep and the faunus girl couldn't help but find the sight unusually serene. His face was young but hardened by trials most hunters undergo in their line of work. There were creased lines in his brow and even in rest did his face have a slight form of indifference to the world around him. Yet…he looked just as tired as she felt.

Something about his posture signaled a sense of unease as if he were expecting to be attacked at any given moment. He looked like he was trying to earn some rest but the way he guarded himself while awake stood the same for when he wasn't. If anything, Sibyll looked like a child troubled by a nightmare he couldn't break free of. And yet the man tried to find some small comfort in the face of the prior night. Blake couldn't bring herself to blame him, even when he was under much suspicion. Still, his presence was more of a mystery to her than his handiwork with tending to wounds.

"I thought he didn't want to come back to Beacon with us," Blake supposed.

"That's still true," Yang replied begrudgingly. Her enmity to their unusual guest was not as subtle as Blake assumed Yang would hope but there was something she surely missed in her unconscious state.

"So why is he here?"

"He's here to help you!" Ruby interjected. Blake did her best to look where her leader stood in the small craft to find her smiling at the faunus' recovery.

"I can confirm that it is true, Miss Belladonna." Oobleck came into view as he studied the young girl. "He was the one who had thoroughly cleaned your wounds and applied a medicinal salve to ease your pain until we touch down. Had he not, your condition would have been much worse."

"And he didn't stare or touch you when we changed your bandages!"

Whatever possessed the young reaper to blurt that out in the young hunter's defense had not gone without distaste. Blake had given the sleeping Sibyll a wary look while Yang grew several degrees hotter as she internal weighed the consequences of a sucker punch. Even Oobleck had felt slightly sorry on the young man's behalf but intervened before any more damage could be done.

"He was solely focused on treating you. So you may place any doubt or ill thought out of mind. What matters now is what he plans to do next."

"What do you mean Doctor?" Blake asked as she tried to prop herself up. The wounds on her chest flared with pain, forcing the young girl to lie down on the uncomfortably stiff bed.

"He was only successful in preventing your symptoms from progressing further than they already have," Oobleck answered as he adjusted his glasses. "I have yet to be formally updated about the events in Addersfield but I can only surmise the severity of what you girls have undergone. I still find myself struggling to believe the information that Ozpin has forwarded. Yet in the event that what Sibyll claims is to be true, then I am afraid that you are not out of the woods yet Miss Belladonna."

"How can you say that?" Yang shouted in return.

Oobleck looked at Yang over the rim of his glasses before gesturing to Blake.

"But is it not true? Blake Belladonna, your partner, is still at risk of becoming something else and while I do not personally trust Mr. Sibyll's intentions he is the best bet of her survival."

"What is it about him that makes you or Ruby believe that?"

Yang ignored the unintentional jab at her sister as she challenged their teacher. Oobleck pulled out his own scroll and brought up a holographic projection of a green plant accompanied with notes.

"It is not that I fully believe. But I cannot help but find it strange that he would be in possession of an extinct medicinal plant."

Oobleck tapped on his scroll and brought up the plant's history as well as documented photos of ancient drawings depicting its uses. Ruby, Blake, and Yang studied how the faunus and humans treating their sick with a plant drawn similarly to the photo. The "patients" being treated looked to be in pain, their bodies colored greatly in red.

"Remnant's earliest civilizations tried to discover ways to cure sickness that would be of no issue today. Despite their primitive methods, they had in fact discovered a means to prevent infection and wounds becoming gangrenous. The most notable technique is the implementation of dittany: a fickle plant containing restorative properties in its most concentrated form. A single drop would have cured small, necrotic wounds and in the case of Miss Belladonna, it seems to have been prevented that altogether. The only drawback would be the painful process one would have to endure as Ruby and I have seen."

The holographic displays disappeared as the doctor put away his scroll.

"The man had the means to save Blake's life or end it. If he is as tenacious as Ozpin states, then Sibyll surely could have swiftly killed you Miss Belladonna and acted accordingly with the rest of us. He didn't. Whether it was Miss Rose's doing or if he found something to advantageous, the fact remains that Blake is doing considerably well _for the moment_."

Oobleck took a glance at the young hunter's stirring form.

"Even if his methods are just as dubious as his nature."

Sibyll's eyes slowly opened and focused on the blurry image of the Messengers. The three of them (top hat, bandage, and urn) were settling on his lap and doing their best to wake him. Their small hands poked and prodded against his chest as they occasionally looked back to the nearby sink. He looks from the corner of his eye to find the rim of the sink brimming with a pale fog. Stretching out his limbs, Sibyll's eyes return to the young woman he had treated hours ago and surprised to find her awake.

"It is good to see that you are awake," he spoke for the first time with her.

"Yeah…I guess," Blake responded cautiously. She found it hard to openly converse with someone who had considered

Sibyll nodded and stood from his seat. Rolling his shoulders to work out the tension and muscle kinks, he made his way to the sink as the Messengers moved to sit on his shoulders. The one wearing a white ribbon resting in the sink's basin, looking up at Sibyll with an emotion indiscernible as it lifted the stone to him. He took the offered tearstone and placed it in his pocket with a sigh.

" _Of course…"_ he thought to himself.

Now it was a matter of dealing with Blake without interruption. Sibyll had done what he could but Blake was due to change at any given moment. He could try to be reassuring; he'd allow them a moment alone before he ended her life. The thought was based on everyone agreeing with him though Sibyll doubted they would, especially Yang. He wasn't sure how Ruby would take it and would most likely take her team's side if they wished to stop him. Maybe he could be swift, allow the shock to settle in after the fact and deal with them later. But their numbers were four to one and he was trapped in an air vessel with no means of escape.

The Messenger reached down into the foggy depths and pulled out an item forcing Sibyll's thoughts came to a halt. He wasn't sure how the process went about for him as he could barely recall that night, but if this was the answer to his question…

"Thank you little one," Sibyll said as he gave the creature a small pat. The three Messenger climbed down his arm and joined their kin in the sink ready to watch the procession follow through. It was an event they watched eagerly as it would give most Messengers a chance to serve a new Hunter.

"Miss Belladonna," the young hunter began. All eyes turned to him at the call of her name. "How much do you value your life?"

Sibyll could hear the metal whir and clink as he turned to find Yang setting Ember Celica into place. Oobleck had followed suit and transformed his thermos into club with the end set aflame. Ruby could only watch as she felt herself rooted in place at the nature of his question. Blake tried to gauge him for intent but the pain trapped her in place.

"I knew it! We should have tied him down the moment he got on!" Yang snarled as she prepared to defend her partner.

"It is a valid question," Sibyll countered.

"You're asking if she wants to live?! Of course she does! What sane person wants to die when given a chance to?"

"I am sure that you and your partner have seen the results for yourself. Believe me when I say that those people in town, the ones left behind, continue to suffer and they are fully conscious of it. They hunted down their own in their frenzy but to have no control over it? To know you are the reason everyone you care for faced a violent end? There is no solace in the thought of a cure when the results are…conclusive."

Sibyll raised a rolled up piece of paper for all to see.

"But then again, the alternative is just as horrific."

Everyone stared at the parchment, unsure of what to say. While Blake had been unable to see the way it was produced, the rest were unsure what offer Sibyll was putting forth. There was still much about him that remained in obscurity and his methods were certainly to be wary off. He claims to be on their side but chooses to work with the enemy openly. He is a violent man but carries certain gentleness with Chisa as team RWBY witnessed. He kills without restraint yet offers to spare her life under a warning.

"So allow me to ask once more: how much do you value your life?"

Blake looked to her partners eyes, reading the undertones of anxiety those red pupils carried. Ruby's eyes were a mix between hope and doubt as she tried to understand what exactly it was Sibyll was trying to do. And while Weiss was unconscious, Blake knew that she would outright refuse him even if her life weren't on the line.

Ruby…

Weiss…

Yang…

"Very much," the cat faunus replies. "If there's a chance then I can't say no, can I?"

"Blake!" Yang tried to implore but the faunus shook her head.

"Yang, you know that you girls are the only family I have left. If it weren't for my decision to try and make amends through Beacon, then I wouldn't have met any of you. You accepted me for who I was, treating me no differently, and despite the things we put each other through…I feel as if I have a home with you all. I intend to see this whole thing to the very end, wherever that may be."

Blake gave Yang a reassure squeeze, hoping it was enough to quell her partner's worries. Yang couldn't help but give her a smile return as the fire around her hair died down and Ember Celica returned to a neutral state.

"Plus, I'd more than mad if you decided to up and leave us again," the brawler added.

"Of course." Blake turned her head to Sibyll who moved to sit next to her. "What needs to be done?"

Sibyll shook his head as his eyes hardened on hers.

"It is not that simple Miss Belladonna. I must know the extent of your resolution before I can consider following through with the alternative." Sibyll motioned to the sword sheathed at his waist. "If I am allowed to speak openly, I would rather you say your farewells to your team and I will make it a swift end. You will never see the blade coming and it will be painless."

Sibyll then waived the paper in his hand.

"Yet seeing how adamant you team is on keeping you alive, I must make sure this is what **you** truly want. There is no return once we begin and I will warn that the path henceforth will be filled with only more pain and suffering."

"What would exactly happen that would warrant such a warning?" Blake asked as her brow creased with conflict. Was her word not enough for the man extending a chance to reclaim her life?

"You will undoubtedly become like me."

Blake's eyes widened at the idea. To become like the mad man who attacked Ozpin and Qrow? Would she have a taste for the violence she had seen in the recordings or reports?

"I am not sure what you will undergo but I can say without a single doubt that you will face madness. With every beast you slay comes the memories they carry; every single man, woman, and child they have hunted will be relived through your eyes. You may forget important parts of your memory you deem worthy of remembering. And if you are to become like me, then you will bear the weight of a 'Hunter' and whatever is needed from such a title. Are you **sure** this it what you wish?"

Sibyll's words carried a straightforward and menacing weight to them as the faunus mulled over them. Blake knew she didn't want to die or become whatever she had fought in Addersfield. Yet Sibyll had affirmed that she would become like him if she chose to continue on living alongside her teammates. The drawbacks to blatantly ominous and she wasn't sure if she was able to undergo or if she was willing to put Ruby, Weiss, and Yang through that. She didn't want to live if it meant putting them at risk, but Blake didn't want to die either.

"This is what I want."

Sibyll closed his eyes, deciding on the certainty of her answer. A few minutes passed and they waited in trepidation as he inhaled deeply before releasing is held breath. He began to roll up the sleeve on his left arm as he looked toward Oobleck.

"Doctor, if would so kind of your to assist me in drawing blood. This is going to take a while and I much rather be doing something productive as things are underway."

"And what role would that play in helping Miss Belladonna?" Oobleck asked as he began to clean an open spot on Sibyll's arm.

"She has lost a great amount of blood and while she may be sluggish now, it will grant the scourge enough time to fully spread throughout her system. I can ensure that does not happen but we will need enough to replenish what was spilled. The next part, however, would be of the most concern."

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked.

Sibyll unrolled the parchment and took the quill tucked away inside it as he prepared himself to write.

"I will need to know everything there is to know about Miss Belladonna. All of her history, affiliations, and secrets must be laid bare if we are to complete her contract. You may consider it a written commitment whereas the transfusion is a validation, but there must not be any room for error. It may be asking too much but if you wish to live then please answer honestly."

"So what happens if I decide to lie?" Blake questioned, unsure of the consequences of a seemingly intricate process.

"The contract goes null and you lose the only chance left…or so I have heard."

The young hunter shrugged as he felt Oobleck fastened belt around his arm and the needle piercing his skin. The sharp sting was brief as red began to flow into the sterile holder He formed his left hand into a fist and squeezed, urging the process onward just slightly.

"So, shall we begin young miss?" Sibyll asked the cat faunus.

"…Yes."

* * *

For the duration of the trip, the "interview" (as Ruby and Yang coined it) had been a trying one. It had taken Team RWBY almost half a year for them to earn Blake's trust. They bonded over small moments shared between them; nights lying away sharing stories, the "nap sessions" in the academy gardens, and miscellaneous trouble often including JNPR which brought them closer.

Blake's apparent love for literature began when her father, Gabriel Montag, brought home a surplus of books from a village near their home. He was a gentle man, meek in nature and self-conscious about his tail, who shared his "hoard of many worlds" with his impressionable daughter. She would curl up in his lap as he read the words she couldn't understand and allow his voice to paint the pictures in her mind. When Blake was beginning to learn how to read, it was **he** who had been the more excited of the two. She was the only child of their town whose reading was on par with the older children but it had created a few problems as well. It only took a few incidents and excerpts from her father's more racy novels that their library mysteriously grew smaller.

Her mother, Charlotte Belladonna, had been the one responsible for Blake's sense of dry wit and seriousness. The faunus had recounted more than once where _she_ was responsible for keeping on eye out for her father despite being so young. Whenever the two were ever in a spot of trouble, it was up to Blake's mother to look after them and scold them thoroughly before letting them off once more. While the other girls conveyed how loving and nurturing their mothers had been, Blake confessed that Charlotte was more stern and aloof out of her parents. While a younger Blake had doubted if her mother ever loved her, she understood that Charlotte placed her duty before her family.

Charlotte was one of the respectable members in their town's council and she was delegated with the task of keeping them safe from the human threat beyond their walls. She was a strong woman who looked after her own, though the concept included every single faunus and not just specifically her family. But Blake's father had confirmed that her mother did in fact care and loved her in her own way. While she may not admit it, Gabriel would state that Charlotte would always have trouble expressing herself in the company of others. Her sense of justice set her apart from the rest and she wasn't used to prolonged contact if she could help it. When it came to their family, she made an attempt to change for the better, albeit slowly at her pace.

Blake confided once before that an attack on her village forced her to separate from her parents and in turn was taken in the White Fang. She applied what her parents taught her into rallying alongside other faunus for peace.

When the White Fang changed, Blake confessed to trying to return their group to what it once was before. She was never proud of their current methods but it was hard for her (a young recruit) to dissuade what had worked for their cause. After a series of missions to interrupt the SDC with human casualties, she had decided to cut ties despite the threats of hunting down dissenters. Blake applied for Beacon and passed thanks to the training the White Fang had provided for her.

Ever since, she had always been Blake Belladonna: resident bibliophile, silent beauty, and fresh fish aficionado. There were still things about Blake they had yet to learn but they were stronger for it as they placed their faith in each other. And yet a stranger was learning more than they had in a much shorter time frame.

They didn't know Blake even _had_ a middle name: Blake Marie Belladonna.

Nor did they know that rogue hunters who were rounding up faunus for slave trade had attacked her town. They had to listen as their teammate relived the moment where her father shouted for her and her mother to leave; the same gentle and meek man begging for his family to run and save themselves as the kitchen knife shook in his hands. Blake's voice shook as retold the moment her mother left her in the care of an acquaintance with the hopes of bringing back the foolish man who had never fought in his life. And she too never returned. From then on Blake was bounced from home to home with the hopes of not being taken by the rogues and found sanctuary in the White Fang.

It was hard for them to hear how Blake's hope for a better and fair future dwindled with every failed protest, every public display of discrimination, and every mission becoming more violent as the years went on. They didn't know that newer recruits of the "new White Fang" had to undergo a "rite" where they "find" humans in dire need of "reformation."

Blake only discovered long after what really happened to those people or families and that was the beginning of questioning her loyalty to the Fang. It was when she began talking about how their faction began targeting those connected to the Schnee did Weiss come to. Ruby had brought her up to speed but the heiress needed confirmation from her team and teacher to believe such absurdities. And Weiss couldn't decide which she struggled to believe more: that Blake's "slip up" in a White Fang's communication room had saved Winter, her older sister, from being a targeted hit or that Sibyll was the means of saving Blake's life. The last the heiress learned was that he was to be treated as their enemy and here he was subjected her teammate to such a demeaning process.

The pressure finally peaked when Sibyll began asking the nature of Blake's affiliation with Adam. She conceded that he had been a mentor figure and a friend but when the young hunter pressed forward…she hesitated. He had urged her to continue but Blake's refusal made him assume out loud.

"I take it you and Mister Taurus were intimately involved with each other?"

Sibyll felt a fist collide against the side of his face, knocking him off balance from his seat, and felt a piercing stab run through his shoulder. He turned to see Yang and Weiss standing over him, flustered and furious.

"How can you ask something like that!?" the heiress exclaimed. She threatened to push Myrtenaster deeper into his shoulder but Sibyll made no pained reaction. Rather, she noticed that his face looked more confused than they were.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"What I mean is how does learning about her private affairs contribute to saving her life?"

Sibyll looked back to the parchment in his lap and lifted it for them to see. There was an unusual glow to it and everyone in the ship was unsure if it was his doing or another's. Even stranger were the unreadable inscriptions which seemed to shine brightly against the glow. The language looked unlike they have ever seen, ancient almost as even Oobleck began to mutter possibilities to himself. A fair portion of the parchment was filled but the writings looked to be half finished.

"I am merely asking the questions that appear on the contract."

"Bullshit," Yang commented as she made to grab for the paper. "Whatever sick game you're playing ends now!" The brawler wrapped her fingers around it and pulled her hand away quickly to find nothing. She stared at her empty hand and looked again to find Sibyll still holding the contract. Yang reached out to take it from him again as her fingers phased through the solid form. There was a certain chill about it as she pulled her hand away and eyed the young hunter carefully.

"Hmm…That is certainly worrying," he merely commented as he brought the parchment down to inspect. It crinkled under his fingers and certainly felt solid. "In any case, I am not inquiring such sensitive details on purpose. I would very much wish to unlearn this for the young miss' sake."

"So don't ask those sorts of questions then! And you still have yet to answer me!"

Sibyll looked at Weiss and then the rapier still piercing his shoulder. The heiress followed his gaze and slowly retracted her weapon from its rooted place. Blood began to ooze slowly as Sibyll pulled a vial from his pocket and slammed it against his side. His body exuded an orange glow as color returned to his paled skin and the wounds began to close.

"If I were to presume, it may be possible that _it_ is trying to assess what Miss Belladonna cherishes the most."

Blake tilted her head, confused by his statement.

"What do you mean?" Ruby added as she moved next to her partner.

"This is not an easy process for one to undergo. But if outcome is synonymous as my own, then she may very well lose some memories after everything is said and done. Even if they might be salacious in nature, any trace of her former life may be forgotten. This may be a way of discovering which parts shall remain."

Sibyll turned his attention back to Blake, wearing an apologetic look.

"Please bear with me until the end. No matter then nature of your answers, I swear no one else will come to know of it. I am sure that everyone in this vessel will attest to that. So, answer as best as you are able to."

Blake nodded and gave her team a reassuring look.

"No, we were never that involved," she confessed. "There were moments where I was more than infatuated with him but those feelings were never reciprocated. I was young and still impressionable, but Adam wasn't the type to for those sorts of things. He was always too busy with 'fighting' for a better future."

"Then why the hesitation?" the young hunter posed.

"Because…I am not sure what he is to me anymore. After everything we've been through and the things he had done, why did I save him? If I hadn't, I wouldn't be in this situation and Adam would have surely been…"

Blake allowed her words to hang in the air as her team began to grow uneasy. With the exception of Yang, the rest of them were caught unaware for the source of her predicament. Sibyll continued to jot down her response before returning her confusion with a dead panned response.

"A part of you remains loyal."

Blake looked at him as the quill moved across the page.

"He had been your source of comfort in your most trying time. I would not put it past you to have some lingering feelings for him. To an extent, I can empathize with those very thoughts. Tell me; if it were anyone from your team in the same position would you cast your life away as well?"

"Of course!" the cat faunus exclaimed, wincing at the pain.

"And so you are loyal to your new friends, your family as you put it. You would live and die alongside them as they would for you. It is as simple as that."

"It can't be that simple!"

"And why not, young miss?" Sibyll's eyes glanced up briefly before returning to the page. "Were you not once a member of the White Fang? You must have shared camaraderie with some of your brothers and sisters aside from Adam. From Ruby has told me, you would look longingly at people of your kind with the hopes of helping them. Yet while you disagree with the new philosophy, you carried out their orders nonetheless. At one point in your life, you were undoubtedly the very thing you detest. So do not reject what you once were as you embrace what you are now."

"And what exactly does that may YOU?" Weiss asked.

Sibyll paused in his work as he pointed the quill tip at the young heiress.

"To you, I am nothing more than a dangerous stranger to be kept at arm's length. I am a target that must be treated with the utmost precision. I deduce that you chose to strike someplace an artery in my shoulder and the message if verily clear."

The young hunter then pointed to the doctor.

"If you work alongside Ozpin, then I can only assume that your first impression my disposition is not satisfactory. Your thinking would fall in line with Miss Schnee but I am more of an impossibility than a threat. I cannot help but agree, considering the nature of your world."

The quill shifted to Yang.

"You believe I am truly a killer and nothing more. With the way I carried myself as we escaped the town, and how callously I treat your partner, you feel the need to defend her from myself. Do not think for a moment I did not catch on to those glances over dinner or that I have forgotten that poorly veiled threat soon after. And your anger is much more rooted than that is it not? You direct your fury at me due to your disbelief over your own kin."

Sibyll then turned to Ruby.

"You question if we truly are friends. You wonder and suffer because I have proven myself a worthy confidante. You are the first person I have come to know in this world and have stood by me despite the accusations. You place your faith in me and, naively so, wish to prove to everyone that I can be trusted."

Finally, the pen rested on Blake.

"And you Miss Belladonna. You are unsure of how to place me but where things stand now, I am the one that holds your fragile life. Death is mere moments away and you are forced to gamble your future on uncertainty if it means you can continue to stand alongside your family."

The quill points itself to the holder.

"And I am very much all of those things. I am a dangerous stranger who kills without hesitation but have chosen to perceive everyone here as possible allies as I try to save you. I cannot deny what I am and you must not as well."

Sibyll turns the page face Blake and hands her the quill.

"So who are you, Miss Blake Marie Belladonna?"

The quill felt cold in her hands as considered his words. Just who was she? Who **is** she? Who did she want to be? As if finding her answer without truly know, Blake carried the tip across the page as she signed her name away. With the last flourish, both the paper and quill disappeared from sight and Sibyll released a sigh of relief surprising everyone.

"Your contract is now signed and sealed. All that is left is for the transfusion to replenish what you have sacrificed."

The young hunter removed the needle drawing blood and positioned an already prepared needle above her vein.

"A word of warning young miss: whatever happens after this moment, you may treat it all as a mere bad dream. You will undoubtedly see something unusual and strange, but it will come to pass. Rest now and allow the blood to begin its work."

Blake felt the needle pierce the skin on her forearm. The warm blood began to seep its way into her body and she could feel sight of the room become blurry. She tried to say some words of reassurance but she had slipped away too soon.

* * *

Ozpin walked about the grounds as the airships began to touch down. He had been expecting their arrival and had sent most of the medical staff to meet with the wearied and wounded villagers. Both senior Beacon students and Atlesian doctors moved about tending to the faunus refugees. Those who suffered more severe injuries were moved inside the infirmary itself but the rest of the refugees were corralled into the courtyard. As headmaster, he could only provide temporary lodgings until the Valen Council came to a decision of how to aid them. Ozpin had them checked and accommodated in the meantime as some were directed to tents to for treatment or rest. Ironwood headed the occasion, directing his men to deliver whatever was necessary to the staff and volunteers.

Such a scene had surely drawn the attention of the students visiting from other kingdoms, a few sharing their findings with multimedia forums.

The headmaster walked about the site until his hazel eyes caught the sight of a familiar group exiting the final airship. Team RWBY kept to the side as they ferried one of their own on a gurney and moved as if to keep out of Ironwood's line of sight. His scroll vibrated and Ozpin found himself reading a brief message from Oobleck, who was sent to oversee the evacuation.

 _[Oobleck: He's here.]_

The headmaster knew Qrow would want an update on his niece's arrival but their hurried nature in heading towards the infirmary took precedence of his attention. Typing away a response to the doctor, Ozpin then pulled up Goodwitch's contact and asked that she keep Ironwood occupied as long as she could. Her response was undoubtedly irate but agreed nonetheless, allowing him enough time meet with a familiar face.

There were still unanswered questions he needed answers to, given how worrying the reports Miss Adel had relayed to him. It was strange that the White Fang would extend an offer on such short notice, let alone how they could come to know of Sibyll's "talent" for combat. He knew it couldn't have been mere coincidence that after his escape the enemy would try and send someone for him. And while the headmaster could understand why Sibyll would join them – there was plenty of freedom to work outside the law – he was more concerned as to **how** the White Fang knew where the young hunter stayed.

Someone had been able to pinpoint exactly where their mysterious guest would come to stay in the similar manner the headmaster assumed as well. If there was someone truly working on the inside, then this was a problem Ozpin couldn't overlook. There was still the matter of the CCT incident and the elusive infiltrator which needed to be sorted out. Ozpin let loose a sigh as he stepped into the quiet halls of the infirmary. The list of concerns grew with each passing day and the headmaster made a note to borrow some of Oobleck's special coffee grounds to ease the stress.

Murmured and hushed voices echoed in the halls as Ozpin made his way toward them. It was a room farthest away from the entrance and often the least likely to be occupied. As the headmaster stepped into the doorway, he noticed the tense atmosphere shared among its occupants. Ruby, Yang, and Weiss had looked worse for wear as they watched over their sleeping friend. Oobleck had taken to ensuring the transfusion machine was properly set and secure as Sibyll tried to usher them out of the room.

"If all she needs is rest, then why can't we be in the room with her?" Yang whispered harshly.

"This process is the most delicate. If you wish for her to be saved, then allow the contract to ensure it is done properly. And given your current state, you all are also in need of medical attention. Go, she will be in need of you when she awakens."

Weiss wanted to protest before Ruby stepped in carrying a worried look toward the faunus.

"She'll be okay, right? Nothing bad will happen to her?" the young reaper asked.

Sibyll nodded his head.

"The Dream will surely take care of her so you need not worry."

Ruby gave him a long look, cementing his reassurance (whatever "the Dream" may be) in her heart as she took hold of both Yang and Weiss' hands and leading them away. The headmaster stepped aside, concealing himself out of their sight as the girl made their way to the staff; their protests continuing to fill the hall. After deeming it safe to announce his presence, Ozpin entered the room to find Sibyll already expecting him.

"We meet again, headmaster."

"Mister Sibyll."

Both men regarded each other carefully, taking careful note of their current positions. To Ozpin, he found it strange that the young man would be dressed in the same manner they had found him. His personal belongings were still being held by the medical staff but the young hunter's current set seemed untouched, if not bloodied. There was also the new addition to the leather bag resting on the floor beside him as well as a few weapons close by. An intricately looking blunderbuss rested next to a worn, metal cane and the hilt of a sword gleamed in the room's low light. Despite how tired the young hunter's eyes were, the orange irises burned with vigor. He was properly equipped this time and Ozpin felt he would have his work cut out for him if they were to fight once again.

"It is a good thing you arrived when you did. There is something I wish to discuss with you," Sibyll began as he reached into his pocket. Pulling out three vials of blood, he handed them over to Ozpin carefully. The headmaster checked the contents of the blood, feeling a sense of unfounded dread in the darkened crimson.

"Those are blood samples from the Alpha which instigated the attack. If what I have seen proves my theory, then there is something in that blood that can confirm my suspicions."

"And that would be?" Ozpin asked.

"A different strain of the plague I once carried in my body."

Ozpin raised a brow and looked over to the doctor. Oobleck could only shake is head, unsure of what to make of the situation. Turning his attention back to the young man, Ozpin pocketed the vials and nodded.

"I see. That would explain the abnormalities in the tests we ran with your blood samples. I wasn't aware that the foreign agents were in fact a disease sustained by your body."

The young hunter looked surprised at the headmaster's statement. He was met with an even gaze as Sibyll realized that he must have been taken advantage of during his stay in their infirmary. The young hunter nodded and motioned for Ozpin to observe the sleeping faunus girl.

"While she was not bitten as I initially thought, Miss Belladonna had the misfortune of being injured. She carried grievous wounds where I could only do so much, but it does not change the fact that she was infected as well. Had Miss Rose not ask that I intervene, she would have become like those in Addersfield. But the most concerning part is how accelerated the symptoms have shone in the afflicted."

The young hunter shook his head and allowed his head to drop. Ozpin studied the girl's state and felt the same sense of regret. He never imagined the situation would result in one of his students being so critically injured on a support mission. He knew that training to become a Hunter and Huntress would have its fair share of risks but he always made an effort to ensure the safety of his students were a top priority.

"What do you mean by accelerated?" he suddenly asked. The small detail in Sibyll's report worried him greatly if such a danger existed on a cellular level.

"I know very little of Faunus physiology," Sibyll began, "but they should not have showed the earliest stages of the scourge so soon. From what I have studied, the disease needs time to incubate within a living host before it begins to actively alter their health and appearance. But the signs would appear sporadically between hours or mere minutes after the infection. The only two explanations I can muster is that their heritage is a factor—"

"Which still has yet to be founded on anything evident to prove so," Oobleck interjected.

"— or that the different strain is derivative from a mutation. The different appearance of the Alpha we encountered is apparent and a possible explanation. And for it to transmit it to other Grimm is certainly worrying."

"It can be transmitted to Grimm as well?"

"I believe so. They appear to act aggressively and their physical form changes with prolonged exposure to the plague. Aside from the Alpha, there were five others that were able to breach the town's walls and cause the spread. And I regrettably may have been the source that changed the Alpha's nature. It must have been my blood that triggered the events that have happened."

Ozpin watched as Sibyll ran his hands through his hair, attempting to smooth out the frantic and wild locks. Things seemed to escalate far beyond the headmaster's control and after sharing a look with the doctor Ozpin couldn't help but quell the ominous sense of danger since the young hunter's arrival.

"Thank you for sharing what you know," Ozpin conceded. "But there is still the matter of your partnership with the White Fang that is still needs addressing."

The young hunter sighed but nodded in confirmation.

"It seems they are in the pursuit of the very thing I am after. From what Mister Taurus has told me, someone has tasked them with retrieving an artifact of great importance that could very well spread the plague I wish to stop. I believed my chances of completing my mission would fair better within their ranks than… well…"

Sibyll gestured to Ozpin before continuing.

"But as I have stated before, I am not your enemy. I only wish to finish my work unhindered and our causes are one in the same."

"Does that extend to the White Fang as well?" Ozpin questioned.

"I cannot speak for all of them but Miss Adel can confirm that Mister Taurus is willing to risk his position working with me. He is going to be an important factor to the proposition I wish to put forward."

The headmaster frowned at the sudden proposal.

"I am well aware of both Miss Adel and Miss Rose's mission to bring me back under your authority. Granted, I admit that the impressions I have left behind are quite unsavory but understand that I was not given a choice in the matter. But if I am to return, I will allow it if they are on **my** terms."

Sibyll squared his shoulders and stood upright, preparing himself for

"And what exactly are your terms?"

The young hunter raised his hand, signaling the number three.

"The first is that I work without being restrained. I cannot be of use if you and that general continue to be a hindrance or act with hostility. Do not be mistaken; I have no qualms about slaying associates who pose as a threat but I would rather we avoid that entirely. We would benefit more if we worked together and I would like to extend that courtesy to those I deem necessary for my work to finish.

"The second is that I require a place to establish my workshop. Somewhere obscure and out of the way so that I may not cause any unwarranted dilemmas to arise. Should you need you ever wish to meet with me, I would prefer it to be on familiar grounds and away from prying eyes. I have already gathered too much unnecessary exposure for my actions and would prefer to stay out of the public eye."

Sibyll paused as Ozpin held up his hand.

"I must say that these terms demand much more than I could provide. As headmaster, I can only have so much influence and power within the kingdom but they do not go unnoticed. The Council would surely catch wind of our little agreement, doubly so with Ironwood acting as head of security for the Vytal festival. So forgive if I am wrong, but what could you possibly give in return should I agree?"

He did not anticipate that the young hunter would want to make a deal with him but even so, the demands were too much. Even with Qrow and his compatriots, the headmaster knew his power were limited to the academy and a few dubious sources under the table. But such risks must be met with an equally desired gain. Should their partnership fall through, Ozpin would be forced to answer to the Council and Ironwood for possible treason. The young hunter then pointed to his head, placing the tip of his forefinger against his temple.

"Everything I have come to learn and know will be yours and yours alone."

Ozpin saw as a smile began to form on Sibyll's face.

"You wanted answers to questions asked upon our first meeting: who I work for, what my goal is, and what exactly am I. I will provide you with information to your entire inquisition without hesitation or reservation. I only ask that what I share is kept between us… I have seen the look your compatriot has made when he believed it beast to force the answers from me. I believe he will act upon his own accord despite what you say and such men are dangerous. If you wish to save your kingdom from the unseen threat, I have knowledge of the threat and an accomplice with enemy ranks. Without sounding too brazen, I am your best bet."

Sibyll allowed his hand to drop as the proposition was put forth. There was surely merit to the deal as it would grant Ozpin all he needed to know about this strange anomaly. He wasn't sure if Oobleck's forward message about the dittany was true but even the doctor had no reason to lie. Yet there was the young hunter's connection to one of the most dangerous faunus known in Remnant. There was no guarantee that it would prove to be a credible source of viable aid but Sibyll assured the headmaster on the man's behalf. The young hunter was willing to provide all Ozpin could ask for as well as voluntary cooperation. The deal was simply too good to be without a catch.

"And how do I know what you say is in fact true?" the headmaster countered.

"Well, that would be quite simple. It falls in line with my last demand," the young hunter stated.

"And what would that be?"

Sibyll turned his attention away from the headmaster and to Blake. Color began to return body as the transfusion took its course though her face looked bothered by something unseen.

"Miss Belladonna herself."

* * *

Ruby watched as her sister and partner as they were patched up by the medical staff in a spare medical tent. They had given Weiss some supplements to aid with her aura replenishment and someone hand disinfected the minor scraps on Yang. The young reaper had come away from the incident unscathed but she knew that she wouldn't be able to forget what she had seen.

" _Just another nightmare to add,"_ she thought as they took her seat next to her.

Yang groaned as she leaned against her sister, placing all of her weight against the small girl.

"She'll be fine Yang. And you know that you need rest too. We all do," Ruby tried to convince. The brawler continued to groan in response Weiss seated herself across from them.

"I just don't like the idea of her being alone with him," Yang spoke as she clenched her fist.

"For once, I agree with Yang. She shouldn't have someone like…that…looking after her in such a vulnerable state. It should have been us instead." Weiss looked that the siblings with a bit of shared apprehension. The heiress would have continued to protest but her partner had intervened and taken them away to be treated.

"And how can you still trust him Ruby? After everything we've seen him do, you're still protecting him," Yang admonished. The words themselves were not spoken harshly, but for the young reaper it may as well have been. Before she could respond, Ruby heard a familiar bark approaching them and found a familiar weaving between people's feet to meet with them.

"Zwei?" she called out and heard the bark happily in response.

The corgi stood before her wearing that goofy dog-smile he was known to make as Ruby reached down to pet him.

"He _has_ been scarce for a while. Weird, I wonder where he's been all this time," Yang commented as she eyed the cargo on the dog's back. Four separate flowers were messily potted and secured to a harness as Zwei shrugged it off carefully. The brawler watched as he guided Ruby's hand to the red-tipped, white rose and happily wagged his tail.

"Is this… for us Zwei?" Ruby asked.

The corgi barked ecstatically as he turned to nudge Yang to follow suit. She found herself in possession of a sunflower much too large for the terracotta pot, tilting enough that it almost fell out completely.

"Huh."

Of course only he would know about the sunflowers. The old boy had been there when she wanted to be alone but stayed anyways despite how long she cried. Whenever she felt uneasy staying at home for too long, it was always Zwei who would drag her out to walk him and they would always stop by that same field. He was trying to cheer Ruby up as he once did for her. She watched as Zwei carefully dragged the harness over to Weiss, nudged a violet her way. The heiress was at a loss for words as Ruby scooped up the corgi and spun him around happily, rubbing his face against hers lovingly. She too couldn't help but feel light in her chest as she began to dote on the little sweetheart.

"It seems like you've got some competition there Neptune," Sun spoke as the pair approached them.

"Don't ruin the moment Sun. Even I have to admit that it's pretty adorable," the blue haired boy countered. With their sudden appearance, Weiss (regrettably) broke away from Zwei and regained her cool and calm composure. Neptune approached Weiss and carefully looked her over with concern. "Is everything okay Weiss? You all look like you've been through a lot."

Sun looked about them as the faunus townsfolk continued to be treated.

"Yeah, Neptune's right. I mean, I know you girls have a tendency to have trouble follow you but this looks a bit too serious."

"It's a long story Sun," Ruby admitted as she sat down with Zwei in her lap. "But I think we're going to need some to rest ourselves before we can go into the details."

The monkey faunus shrugged. "Sounds fair."

Ruby turned her attention back to the corgi nuzzling against her.

"Just where have you been Zwei? And who were you staying with while we were out?"

On cue, Nora suddenly appeared next to her as she continued to fawn over the faithful companion.

"Ren and I found him earlier waiting outside your room and after he talked with the little cutie pie, invited him into to stay in our room where we proceeded to have the most awesome time waiting for you to return! We even took plenty of pictures on my scroll! Wanna see them?"

Sure enough, the Valkyrie proceeded to show the group various photos of them with Zwei. They were shortly joined by an exhausted Ren and an anxious Jaune, finding relief when two of their missing friends were finally found.

"Nora, please try to avoid suddenly disappearing," Ren said as he gathered his breath. The Valkyrie could only smile in return as she put away her scroll and bounced her way over to her partner. Jaune moved over to Zwei and patted the corgi.

"The same applies to you little guy. I'm sure Ruby and Yang wouldn't want you to wander off on your own."

"Actually, that's just something Zwei does sometimes," Yang explains as he runs her hand down the corgi's back. "Even dad will notice that he's gone missing for a bit and the rascal comes home eventually. I guess he knew something was up lately and wanted to do something nice for us."

"Aww! Zwei, you are the best dog ever!" Ruby continued to coo. Jaune smiled at the sight but felt there something off about.

"Where's Blake?"

Every noticed the liveliness begin to die as the RW(B)Y members struggled to answer the sudden question. Even Nora had taken to remaining respectfully quiet as girls were reluctant. Sun's once joking demeanor had turned to that of agonized concern.

"Ruby… Is Blake okay?" the monkey faunus added to the inquiry. He couldn't quell the timpani of trepidation beating alongside his heart as Ruby looked back with an equally pained expression.

"She's still recovering from the mission. The best we can do now is wait for her to-hey! Sun!" the young reaper called as he tried to make his way toward the infirmary. He felt himself on the verge of breaking into a sprint until a firm hand held back. Steel grey eyes flashed in anger and dissipated just as quickly when he realized it was Weiss.

"We can't see her right now. Whatever it is that **person** is doing, he needs for everyone to leave her be. I don't like it as much as you do but… he's the one trying to save her."

"Save her!? From what?!" he shouted. Weiss flinched as the urgency of his voice but couldn't answer.

"We don't know Sun," Yang interjected as she stood. The brawler walked over and placed a strong hand on his shoulder with the intent to hold him place. "Whatever it is that we saw is hard to explain. All we know is that he… is that Sibyll is stopping her condition from worsening. I'm with Weiss on this one but he knows what he's doing. Let's just turn in for the day and we'll visit her at the first chance we get. Now come on."

Yang led him away back to the dormitories with everyone in tow. Sun look at quick look to the infirmary as the brawler marched him away for his (her) sake. Ruby decided to drift towards the back of the group and held Zwei tightly against her.

"Please save her Sibyll…"

* * *

 **{Night}**

Ozpin lead the way out of the infirmary and into the courtyard where many rested. All three men could hear a few suppressed sobs as the silently passed by, careful to not alert the distressed refugees. The headmaster found himself in disbelieving how efficiently Sibyll moved without causing a sound as both he and Oobleck used their aura to muffle their footfalls. There were about to reach the edge of the camp as Ozpin heard the muffled whimper of a young girl. The sound came from a tent with its flap left open, carrying the soft cries out to the men. The headmaster turned back to signal them towards the Emerald Forest when he found Oobleck waiting by the tent's open flap, peering inside. Ozpin looked inside to find Sibyll kneeling beside a young girl, running his un-gloved hand through her hair and whispering something. Her cries lessened until she slept soundly, allowing the young hunter to return to the waiting men.

Saying nothing, Sibyll stepped aside and allowed Ozpin to lead their continued march to the darkened forest. When they were out of earshot, the headmaster finally addressed Sibyll.

"The Bullhead should be able to take you back to Addersfield by dawn. Peter should already be waiting ahead as he and Doctor Oobleck will be the ones to escort you back. Do what you need to do but do not take too long and any attempt to flee with be stopped by both men will ensure you fail," Ozpin warned.

Sibyll nodded his head as they came into view of the waiting airship.

"I should hope that you will hold your end as well?"

"You left me no room to refuse."

"So long as we are on the same page."

The three men arrived to the airship as the side doors open, revealing a short, portly man awaiting inside. Sibyll moved past him to take his seat, tucking his face away from the men as Ozpin forward a list to both men's scroll. Oobleck look to the headmaster apprehensively before boarding as well and the usually jovial Peter Port remained in solemn silence. The bullhead's side doors slid closed and took the skies as the vessel gained enough lift. Carrying them off into the night, Ozpin was left alone to think over the deal he had made with the young hunter. There were many worrying details that he would have normally refused outright.

Yet Sibyll had the means and foreknowledge of their enemy and…something else that would jeopardize the safety of Vale. Before Ozpin was a headmaster, he was a Hunter. Something stirred in the knight among the treetops and the old headmaster turned to find several birds fly off into the night.

He did not like where the course of events where leading but there was only so much he could do. If Sibyll was indeed an ally (although temporarily), then he would hope that his contribution would not place the lives of his student in danger, especially with Miss Blake Belladonna.

As he reflected over his and Sibyll's discussion, someone was swiftly making his way back to the academy as fast as his feet would carry. His breathe became ragged as the crossed the distance, careful not to disturb the sleeping refugees upon his return and stealthily made his way to the infirmary.

Sun fought back the urge to go see black as his friends and team kept him company. Neptune had understood what his partner felt as he knew just how much the faunus cared for the girl. There were moments were Sun would keep an eye out for her, embarrassingly so when he made the effort to find her and play it off as coincidence. Blake was just more than the pretty faces he remembered Neptune and Scarlet would flirt with. She was smart (book smart and snarky), headstrong, caring, and undoubtedly beautiful. He never expected for her to take him up on a date but it was something he couldn't help but look forward to. Sun had seen her off and hoped she would return soon so they could spend more time with her.

But to hear Ruby trying to retell what had happened on their mission and to her was…

He stopped just in front of the door, looking around for any of the night staff patrolling the halls. Finding no one in the immediate area, he slipped into the building and began his search through the long and silent halls. Sun peeked into quiet wards and through windows of locked rooms, ducking into the shadows whenever a nurse would pass by. He never anticipated that Beacon's infirmary would be as large as it was but with each room he investigated, the direr he felt the situation grow.

Sun just needed to find her, confirm for himself that she was okay.

A scream echoed in the halls and he could feel his feet carry him long before he was aware of it. He followed the cry to the source, seeing her in the darkened room through the reinforced glass as she thrashed about the bed. His night vision had shown him how her face contorted in pain, tears streaking down the sides of her face. Sun reached for the door knob but found it locked. He threw his body against the flat of the door but it was sturdy for that specific purpose.

He hastily pulled out his scroll as he dialed for team RWBY's number, trying over and over to breach to the door to reach her.

"Blake! Blake I'm here! Just hold on!" he yelled as he shoulder slammed against the door. When he heard Ruby answer the call, he gave her no time to ask why he sounded frantic or why there was the sound of something slamming into something heavy. He shouted for Ruby and her team to get to the infirmary as fast as they could, relaying that something was wrong with Blake. Blake continued to scream at the top of her lungs, Sun slamming against the door with all his might as Ruby scrambled on the other end of the call to gather her team.

The screaming finally comes to a stop and Sun pauses to check on her. Her body has gone still and in a moment of panic, believed that she had ceased breathing as well. His body began to glow a golden yellow as his semblance manifested his spectral clones. All three of them began to throw themselves against the door before the clones allowed themselves to explode on impact and creating the necessary opening.

* * *

Blake wasn't sure of what to make of her surroundings.

She found herself standing in a black abyss, unable to move, and looking upon her old home. It was still as she remembered it; a single story home with a simple garden at the front. On the green lawn, her parents laid asleep with a young version of herself between them. It was almost strange to see them after so long.

Her father was still so tall and thin, messy auburn hair covering his eyes. His beard would always be so short and stubbly, tickling her whenever he kissed her goodnight. The way he dressed reminded her of a schoolyard teacher with his buttoned shirt, rolled sleeves, and tweed vest.

Her mother still looked stern even as she slept. Blake knew she took after her mother; she inherited her long black hair, golden eyes, and demeanor. Even down to the pair of cat ears, she was surprised just how much she resembled her mother. But even then, it was rare for her to see her mother so… calm and still. Between her parents, her mother had been the one to fret over things despite never openly showing it.

And there she was, sleeping soundly between them. Blake was unsure what to feel as she watched her younger self snuggle up to her parents, unaware of what life will take from her. As soon as the thought came to mind, a fire began to envelop her home; wild flames licking way at the structure as her family continued to sleep undisturbed. Blake tried to call out to them, hoping to warn them before the fire overwhelmed the scene. She watched as her house burned away into nothing.

Or was it her house?

She didn't remember her house being so big or so… extravagant? A manor on fire, lighting the skies in with its inferno as it grew. Blake wasn't sure if she heard someone scream over the roaring flames but the scene blurred into a collection of homes. It was similar to the towns she was sent to stay in after her parents never returned. So many homes coalesced into each other, growing higher and higher until the came to tower over her. The architecture looked immaculately cut and in a style she wasn't familiar with. The cobbled streets were narrow and empty as her body drifted through them on its own. People would peer out from their barred windows: humans, faunus, and…

What was she forgetting? What was there to be wary of aside form the condescending looks of the humans and the gloomy eyes of her kin? They looked at her as if she were dangerous but was it her? Where they looking **at** her or something else?

Then there was Adam training her in an underground base. Bandages wrapped around her arms as much older, yet still younger, Blake caught her breath from their spar. He looked at her, clearly unimpressed with her progress but she had yet to prove him wrong. She would fight against human tyranny and protect her brothers and sisters from those who wish to harm them. And if they dared turned into beasts, Blake would follow the Hunter's Oath and slay them without hesitation. She would strike when the prey had left itself open, eviscerating them with her own hands just as Gehrman taught her to.

Wait… She didn't know that name but why did it feel so familiar? There was warmth in the name but with it a heavy amount of respect and reverence. She could picture him now, resting in his chair as the night continued.

But there was also sense of regret and remorse… All those humans she hurt for the name of equality and recognition. Every dust heist, every act of open defiance against the Schnees for their "labor forces" consisting of her brothers and sister stained her memory with sorrow. Especially when she was forced to hunt them down one by one before they could turn into greater beasts. Such a long exposure to the plague would prove a future nuisance during her stay in Yharnam. But she would move with purpose, keep herself moving if it meant keeping her promise to her sister. She wouldn't be weak, not anymore…

 **NO!**

Blake felt her head ache with the unfamiliar memories in her head. They weren't hers! She has never heard of such a place or slaughtered innocent people! She never stained her blade with the blood of another and she was sure that was the case for the past five years. It was a promise she made to herself when she learned of the White Fang's new approach.

But who owned the memories in her mind?

The pain began to swell as the abyss enveloped her, suffocating her in a pressure she couldn't fight. She struggled to move, to breathe, or to see as an unusual chill began to set in.

Blake's eyes suddenly shot open, taking in the new surroundings. It looked to be an infirmary of sorts, similar to the one Beacon would have. Was she home? When did they arrive? Where was her team? Her vision was slightly bleary but she could make out the some aspects of the darkened room. Blake tried to move fingers, her limbs, but her body refused to respond.

A strange noise was heard in the room and she forced her head to the side to find its source. A red puddle began to grow across the linoleum floor, bubbling unnaturally. Blake caught a scent of something metallic, like iron, and her eyes grew as she realized the blood began to pool together on the floor. She tried to will her body once more to move, to escape from the room from whatever was happening. And something began to rise from the mess itself, slowly forming into the shape of a beast she remembered.

The Beowolf was stripped of its skin, baring its muscles and bones as it began to stand at full height. Its notable spikes and bone plate looked different than when she last met but Blake knew this was the very same beast that tried to kill Adam. It was the same beast left her scarred in a last ditch effort to protect her former mentor. She could hear a guttural growl begin to emanate from its throat, a foul stench filled the room with every exhale, and the very same crimson eyes watched her carefully.

Slowly it approached her, reaching with its clawed hand and despite her frantic attempts to free herself, could only watch as the sharp edge came into view. Her heart beat quickened, she couldn't breath, and she was on verge of dying unable t defend herself.

A shriek.

Something blurred forward and crashed against the Beowolf's face. The beast roared as it tried to tear away the obstruction only to find it flashing about the room. It came to rest on Blake's stomach, arching its back and hissing angrily at the horrid beast. It took the form of a cat through remained ethereal in nature. Gazing upon it, Blake felt a sense of security as the creature lunged forward once more. Dodging a mid-slash, the cat split into several pieces, swarming the Beowolf as a distraction as the cat went for the eyes. The beast howled in pain, pawing at the creature with its claws and slamming it against the wall.

The two fought with the cat trying to elude the Beowolf's attacks. It slinked between its guard, slashing and biting at what it could while the beast tried to keep it at bay. Yet Blake couldn't help but notice that the cat had done its best to avoid landing on the blood stained floor, using the adjoining beds and counter tops to maneuver about the room. And she was not alone in realizing the limitation of the small creature. As the cat tried to split itself into several copies, the Beowolf flailed its claws about wildly and catching the original copy in the attack. The ethereal body slammed against the bloodied floor and before it could react, the beast took the creature into its mouth and began to shake its head violently.

Blake could feel surges of pain across her body. Invisible fangs pierced her flesh and she screamed out.

So much pain shared between her and the cat-like creature.

So much suffering…

The Beowolf had been too distracted with tearing about the small creature that it failed to notice an object flying towards it. Blake heard glass shattering the fires swarmed the both the beast, the cat, and herself in turn as the pain grew too much to bear. Her body writhed as her screaming grew in volume but images began to swarm her sight. There were too many to take in and she was sure they were places and people she's never seen.

Too many images, so much red…

Blake heard the last groan come from the bloodied Beowolf as collapsed under the flames, trapping the cat with it. She could make out the pained mewling and her heart wrenched as the fire began to burn away was left of the Grimm. And as the fires enveloped the creature, it gave one last cry before shattering into disappearing pieces. She could feel the cracks webbing across her body, every individual line tearing her apart in a manner she herself couldn't comprehend. Her body continues to burn, ache, scream, and continued to suffer a pain she could not quell.

Something felt ripped, like fabric torn and frayed with some unnatural force.

Her sight becomes blurry and the feelings of fatigue begin to wash over her despite the wounds she continued to bear. With her consciousness fading once more, she felt a pair of small hands begin to clamber over her. Sometime small and pale, climbing over her body and soon after it was just by many others. Blake couldn't make out what it was that was beginning to surround her. Were they also a threat? Were they dangerous? And why did she feel a slight form of comfort if they were meant to harm her?

She could smell the fragrance of lilies off of them…

And now, she slept without dreaming.

Blake didn't know how long she had slept for but the young girl felt as if she had been asleep for quite some time. Her body felt well rested, if not slightly off, and as her eyes fluttered open she found herself awaking in the infirmary. All she could remember were the nightmares she suffered after Sibyll had begun her transfusion. He had warned her that everything she would experience would only be a construct of her mind but she never expected for it to be so vivid.

She looked about the room to find that day had broken. Blake hoped that she could be seen by one of the school's doctor soon if it meant she could be discharged sooner. Their previous mission had taken its toll on her and she would prefer to rest in the comfort of her team's room. Something shifted about the room, finding that she wasn't alone.

Sun had taken to sleeping by her bedside, slumped in a chair as he slept. She found it strange that he would still be in his casual wear but that could only mean that he waited vigilantly for her. His face looked to be troubled but the faunus remained deeply asleep.

Neptune and Weiss had taken two other chairs and positioned them side by side so they could rest against each other. The heiress had curled herself up in her seat as rested her head against the Neptune's chest, his arm draped across her shoulders. She was dressed in her nightgown and her hair look distressed, frazzled even. It wasn't like Weiss to be untidy even as she slept let alone be brazen enough to sleep next to someone she had clear affections for. A prim and proper lady through and through, Blake assumed.

On the bed next to her, she found her partner and leader sleeping together. Ruby was tucked under her sister's embrace, bringing her cloak tightly around her body to fend off the morning chill. Yang pulled her sister closer as a child does to her favorite stuffed toy and she too looked out of character. Whenever Yang slept, she was a notorious snorer that would prove to be hindrance during the weekends. As Blake saw her now, she slept silently and still. Ruby would occasionally whimper, but a reassured squeeze would comfort the young girl.

The most worrying yet are tear stained tracks on the young reaper's face.

" _Did I worry them that much?"_ she thought as she propped herself up from her bed. Blake's chest no longer ached or pained as she moved to a more comfortable position, though a hesitant finger confirmed that the wound were deep enough to leave scars. Her brow furrowed as she believed that her aura would have taken care of that but sever injuries may take weeks or months to fully heal.

Yang began to stir in her sleep, on the verge of waking and Blake felt it would time to let them know she was okay. They had stayed overnight for her sake and it must have taken a lot of convincing on their part.

"Yang…"

Blake's voice came out raspy and hoarse, bring the brawler's full attention to her now awaken partner. Yang looked at her stunned and Blake couldn't help but catch hints of disbelief from the way those lilac eyes bore into her.

"I'm sorry if I worried you all," she began. "You didn't have to stay overnight you know?"

Yang remained silent before bolting out of bed to get to her partner. Blake was surprised as she felt a pair of hands rest upon her seat, tilting her face about as if inspecting something out of place. The brawler's eyes looked about frantically, only stopping when she felt Blake rest her hands on hers. Around them, the rest of their company began to awaken slowly.

"I'm okay Yang," Blake assured.

Amber eyes stared into lilac, trying to convey that the danger was long gone. She felt better despite the side effects she endured in her sleep, but nonetheless alive and well. Blake thought Yang would be happy considering how adamant she was in fighting on her behalf. So why… Why did she try to hide a pained expression behind a forced smile?

"I know Blakey," the brawler replied as she pulled her partner close. "That's all that matters now." Yang felt a pair of hands wrap around her waist and felt a firm, yet tender hug in response. As she pulled away, Yang seated herself next to Blake as everyone finally came to and looked at Blake.

All in disbelief.

All in undeniable sorrow.

"What's wrong?" she finally asked. When no one answered, Blake looked about her body for anything that she could have been missing. As her eyes rested on the bandages wrapped around her torso, she looked backed to them with the best half smile she could conjure. "It probably doesn't look good, but I promise it doesn't hurt anymore. I can finally move without it being too much of a bother. So please, don't feel bad about it. Alright?"

Weiss could no longer contain the withheld sobs as she buried her face into Neptune's chest, trying her best to hide her pain. The blue haired boy only looked at Blake with the same pained expression Yang had but remained silent as he did his best to comfort the heiress.

"Sun? What's going-"

Blake saw how the monkey faunus looked no better, afraid to look at her. His fists clenched tightly as his eyes remained glued to the flow, messy blond hair hiding the rest of his face. She turned to her leader who's silver eyes were filled with tears as she young girl looked at her. She wrapped her red cloak around her tightly, hiccuping with each choked whimper she couldn't suppress.

"Yang, what's wrong? Why is everyone acting like this?" Blake asked, growing more desperate in her search for answers. Everyone was acting strange, unlike themselves and it was about **her**. She was alive and well, she was there with them. Blake was alive and avoided the same fate they had seen first hand in Addersfield. So…why? WHY won't they look or answer her!? Yang reached for something by the bedside table and turned to face her partner.

"Blake… Whatever happens, just know we're here for you. We'll **always** be here for you because you're a part of our family. Promise us you'll remember that."

"Yang, I don't understand—"

" **Promise us!** "

The sense of urgency rang throughout those two words as Yang stared at her partner. Blake didn't understand what was going on or why they were acting the way they were but nodded regardless.

"I promise."

Yang looked down at the object in her hand before handing it over to Blake. There was a sense of fear as she slowly brought up the mirror to her face, fearing that there were more side effects to her treatment than they were told. What she found was her own reflection in the mirror, unmarred by anything that would be of concern.

Blake still have the same pale complexion, the same pair of amber eyes looking back at her, he raven colored hair remained long and let down and the ears she inherited from her mother are—

The mirror began to shake in her grasp as the weight in her chest resurfaced. She could feel her breath escape her as she stared, unable to comprehend what exactly she was seeing with her own eyes.

"No…" she whispered to herself. "I-I-I don't…wha-what is…"

Neptune held Weiss tightly against him as Blake's words began to fail her.

Sun could only clench his fists tighter, drawing blood despite his aura's efforts to heal him.

Yang shut her eyes as Blake dropped the mirror onto her lap and could hear the frantic search for something that no longer is.

Ruby forced herself to watch as Blake's hands ran frantically through her raven hair. She forced herself to hear the despair as Blake cried out in disbelief in realizing what had become of her. Ruby watched as she her teammate and friend succumb to hear tears as her screams filled the halls once more.

Blake Belladonna no longer had to worry about having to hide who was behind a little black bow.

And it was all her fault.

"Oh Blake..."

* * *

 **A/N: And with that, the first arc comes to a close. I am sure you all have your questions and concerns, so please don't hesitate to ask in the review. I'll do my best to answer them as best as I can (with what I can share). I would also like to take a moment to say that I'll be taking a brief break to edit the previous chapters of their mistakes (Chapter 3 has become an inside joke between myself and a friend) and will make the according changes:**

In regards to the Qrow and Winter reveal, I will make the effort so that they're design falls in line with the story. I always envisioned Qrow to be this person who models himself after Nevermore because of his namesake. With Winter, I unintentionally made her Weiss' _younger_ sister and will fix that portion to be canonized.

 **Aside from taking a break to make editing changes, college is starting back up and with my part time job on the side I will most likely have less time to write as frequently as I have over the summer. But look forward to the next chapter were the ball gets rolling and shit hits the fan. Until next time everyone!**


	12. Bitter Revelations

**A/N: It has certainly been a while since the last one huh? I apologize for that! I've been acclimating to university life, kept busy with reading assignments, enjoying that MGSV, and other details I won't bore you with. But here we all are again. And just in time for RWBY Volume 3 too! I will admit that with the new volume coming out, the chapters for this fic may take longer and longer as I want to portray the RWBY-verse properly. I'll do my best to get the next one out before or after Thanksgiving, but no promises. In any case, thank you for your continued support and readership and I hope I haven't let you down with this installment. A LOT of explanation for things that will take place further down along the line.**

 **BEFORE WE CONTINUE THOUGH... I just want to give a big thanks to Fabuzer for putting up this story as a RWBY recommendation on TV Tropes. I was really surprised to find my work there and I didn't really know how to respond. I started this fic out for fun and out of a personal interest, but to see it recommended by a reader? Just wanted to say my personal thanks. And thank YOU readers for being so patient for the chapters and sticking around.**

 **Now, go ahead and enjoy!**

* * *

The Bullhead touched down on the empty field. Its turbines slowly came to a stop, the high pitched whine dulling down, as the side door opened and depositing three men. Sibyll stretched out his tired limbs and looked about the area in the misty morning light. The young hunter couldn't help but feel a slight comfort in the silence. It was a change of pace from the often lively town or the bustling academy, giving him an unusually much needed reprieve. Even during his stay with Cormack and Chisa, he couldn't help but feel anxious with the company of so many people.

The dinner he had proposed to ease tension had been manageable at best. Sibyll preferred dining with familiar faces or those who would (maybe) tolerate him. With eleven people, he found himself given a chance to interact with people he couldn't have in Yharnam; to experience something so long forgotten in terms feeling…human. For a brief moment, he felt relatively ordinary as he was simply a man sharing a meal with people he was coming to know.

Yet here he was to clean up the mess he was forced to leave behind. He was thankful that the headmaster had agreed and understood to some degree that this something to be done. The sooner he dealt with the afflicted, the sooner Sibyll could pursue his objective before the White Fang could best him. He did not anticipate that someone would be after the relics and it proved just how much he slackened during his stay in this world. Should anyone obtain the means to begin a biological siege, Sibyll's mission would then shift from prevention to execution. He knew there was no guarantee of having any support if the scourge grew beyond his control.

There was only so much a single Hunter could do as proven with his task to cleanse Addersfield of its sick.

Sibyll was just about finished scanning the area before his eyes fell upon something curious. He made his way to the large mass resting on the ground, taking in the image of the former Alpha. After all the violence and bloodlust he had felt during their bout, there was no denying the sight feeling rather dispiriting. There was never any personal ill will toward the beasts but he couldn't feel the same amount of enmity shared by those around him. It was an unusual thing to admit, but the Hunt had a tendency to turn most Hunters jaded. The apathy made their jobs easier; the less likely they were to treat their prey as something to sympathize, the more effective a Hunter would become.

The same is doubly so for those with more violent tendencies. Sibyll shivered slightly at the thought, remembering the few moments he himself had succumbed. There was an undoubtedly welcome feeling within the frenzy if one could manage to maintain a small hold over their consciousness. Exhilaration coalesced into efficiency which leaves one to disregard self preservation for bloody precision. With the additional blood coursing through their veins, the thirst for more proved to be an irrefutable incentive. Yet Sibyll had made the mistake of creating a personal stake with his fight with the Alpha. He couldn't quite understand how or why. There was certainly a degree of animosity but not toward the creature itself…

Still, the Alpha was slain and both of their troubles were resolved for the moment. The only thing remaining was the body itself and yet…

"Strange… It has not shown any sign of disappearing," he murmured to himself.

The beast should have vanished long before their return as was the case for every encounter with their species. The teachers soon joined him in studying the body and their silence spoke when words failed them.

Port had studied the creatures of Grimm all his life, urged on the by the legends and tales of the hunters of old. The man had dedicated his cause into learning all he could about their prey as a means to passing it along to the next generation. From the lowliest of Beowolves to the now extinct Ancients, there couldn't be anything that would ever surprise him in his field of expertise yet the very proof was being prodded by the very Hunter that had slain it. Granted, larger species of Grimm would take a considerable amount of time to dissipate but an average Alpha Beowolf's size would persist for three hours after the initial death. Adding to the fact that he had seen for himself this "type" of creature, the Grimm Studies professor found the situation to be truly unbelievable.

"Strange indeed," Port could only say as he bent down to study the Alpha' remains. The fur carried the definite scent of decay as the color of the wounds turned putrid. Reaching out, his fingers felt the tufts of slick fur and lifted the creature's paw to stare the gnarled claws. The fangs, the face's bone plating, the jagged spikes about the body seemed altered and proved the claim of the man beside him.

As he stepped away from the body, Oobleck took the moment to photograph their findings on his scroll. Ozpin would want something substantial to show the visiting general should the man decide something rash and obtaining leverage was the means to keep him at bay. Finalizing the last photos, he tucked away the device and both men turned to find Sibyll searching through his bag. Hearing him sigh, the young hunter took up his bag and turned to them.

"Would any of you gentlemen happen to have a light?" he asked.

Both teachers shared a glance, unsure of the question being asked of them. As if sensing their confusion, Sibyll decided to elaborate further.

"We cannot simply leave the remains here to naturally decompose. The correct thing to do is dispose of it thoroughly with fire, lest we wish to leave any more loose ends. The same must be done for the rest of them."

"Preposterous!" Port shouted as he pointed to the Alpha. "There has **never** been a case where the remains of the Grimm would simply remain! Many, myself included, have struggled to find a specimen permanent enough to properly document conclusive findings! What we have here is the prime example and the **answer** to some of Remnant's oldest questions! And we are to simply destroy it!?"

The grizzled veteran's brow scrunched at the thought of an opportunity missed. Sibyll merely sighed as he tried to find a worthy answer to his cause.

"Even so, we have other work to do. I doubt the creature before us is the same as the others this world has encountered."

"All the more to study it!" the veteran countered. Yet even the hairs of his thick mustache bristled slightly under the glower of the young hunter who remained firm. Despite the young man's nimble form, Port could sense a strong tenacity contained within. If what Ozpin had said was true about the young hunter (and after seeing the recording himself), then both professors would find themselves in a difficult situation if Sibyll decides to flee. Still, glare from those orange eyes dulled as the young man let loose another sigh.

"I apologize if my personal concerns may present itself as stubbornness, but this is the best course of action we **must** take. My secondary role as a Hunter is to track, hunt, and dispose of any afflicted beasts that pose as a threat to the general populace. These are **my** methods and these are the terms your headmaster agreed to. So if you would be so kind as to permit me to my work…"

Sibyll allowed his words to linger, hoping a reminder of their positions would be enough to rein in their concerns. As a fellow Hunter, he despised the idea using "superiority" as a means to assert any form of dominance. These men had earned their titles through their own struggles and who was he to believe himself any better. The name Sibyll earned had been bestowed by those he hunted. It only became official when the young hunter confessed his concerns over the title to Gehrman, who then deemed it proper enough. Until now, he couldn't understand why the Old Hunter had agreed as he felt the title was a mockery of his intentions.

Oobleck brought forth his thermos, shifting it into its alternate form, and settling the corpse ablaze. All three men watched as fire grew, wisps and flicks crawling unnaturally over the mass as it ate away at the physical form.

"This is for the best," Sibyll added. Both men glanced over at the young hunter as his eyes continued to watch. "I understand that there is a need to study what is unknown and to inquire the nature of things that garner our curiosities. There is a strength found in acquired knowledge. And yet such awareness can prove dangerous to the self as what one may come to learn may be the very cause for their end. I would not wish for the things I have come to know to be shared any more than necessary, if it means lives may be spared."

The corpse began to fold into itself as the fires ate away the remains of the tainted flesh, leaving behind the skeletal remains. As the flames began to die down, the young hunter slowly turned to make his way towards the town's gate.

"I would suggest you stay close gentlemen if you wish to keep an eye on me. But for your sake, keep to the high ground as I tend to the afflicted. The mess left behind is just as volatile as their current disposition, and this is a burden you must not bear," Sibyll said as the men followed closely behind. Oobleck couldn't help but grip his weapon tightly as the trio approached the town, and Port shared a similar distress.

From afar a figure watches them, carefully noting the presence of the three men. Their brief exchange created questions for the observer, unsure of what to make with everything so far. As the men helped the young hunter over the walls and disappearing beyond sight, the figure sighs with discontent…

…or tries to imitate what a sigh would feel like in this situation. Carefully, it makes its way down from the canopied perch and begins to follow the trio. Careful footsteps moved outside the visual range of the Bullhead, hoping not to gain unwarranted attention. The heavy weight of a bracer on the arm reminded the figure of the insurance for this infiltration; a device able to distort the images around it and appear invisible to the untrained eye. Yet it remained in the prototype phase, demanding a prolonged recharge time to compensate for extended uses. The trip here alone was enough to drain it completely, leaving the figure to depend on skill alone to go undetected.

Activating the inner workings of her primary gear, the metallic pack on the figure's back opened and with it a series of seemingly hovering blades; each embedding itself securely into the stony defense as it brought owner upward. When tentative feet touched upon the top of the walls, the blades retreated back into the pack and closed with a securing lock. Vibrant green eyes scanned the rooftops unblinking, finally picking up the sounds of a skirmish deeper in the town.

" _Follow them and learn as much as you can,"_ were her orders.

Penny was in Vale to prove herself as a capable fighter in the Vytal Tournament. She would be the first of many to protect the world from its inherent threats both outside the kingdoms and within. That was the very reason she was created in the first place by her father under Uncle Ironwood's request. Still, it was an unusual thing to be asked but she followed the order to the letter.

As she traversed to the tiled rooftops, Penny's thoughts drifted to what she had learned hours prior to their arrival. She was tasked with patrolling the grounds of the academy as her Uncle dealt with the arrival of the faunus refugees. It was only by chance that she had caught a glimpse of her friend Ruby and Penny had wanted to call out to her.

But Ruby seemed distressed about something and when Penny's eyes focused on the source of her concern, she realized her teammate appeared to be in critical condition. Internal scans showed an abnormality in the faunus girl's state and she couldn't help but be confused. Her father had fitted Penny with as much anatomical information in human, Faunus, and Grimm physiology to give her a proper edge in combat. But what her eyes were picking up didn't appear to come up in any of the references she knew. There were the obvious signs of infection but the acceleration and spread of the foreign element seemed illogical.

Penny scanned the rest of Ruby's team to find them healthy, albeit it injured and worn from battle. Their vitals reflected an active aura but the same couldn't be said for Blake; as if it were held back by some force.

The same could be same for the fifth member among them. His vitals were appeared similar to Blake's, albeit it more subdued and… She frowned. There was no aura signature to be read despite reports her Uncle had shared with her. The man with team RWBY had to be the Hunter mentioned through the murmured talks between the general and her father. Even during her maintenance period, she could pick up a few key phrases from her dreamless state.

Dangerous anomaly

Fugitive

Collaborator

Further investigation

Additional concern

Yet from what she could gather, the man was without aura and with a body showing considerable strain. Is it possible for someone to be that much of a threat despite the disadvantages against him? Still, Penny had wanted to check in on her friend and made quick use of the growing crowd around her to lose her armed escorts. The young girl followed the group into the infirmary, following their voices to a room found in the remote part of the building.

Voices of concern grew as she approached and when Penny decided to make herself known, she heard the sounds of oncoming footsteps. Up until now, she wasn't sure why she decided to hide herself as Ozpin rounded the corner in the same direction. There was something about that man that would often leave her Uncle quiet whenever it became a subject of conversation. Melancholy? Frustration? Regret? She couldn't properly articulate the expressions the general made but it resulted in her becoming uneasy around him. Even as she watched him conceal himself in the doorway's blind spot, allowing the RWBY to leave reluctantly, Penny felt unnerved by the headmaster's sudden appearance.

She couldn't avoid overhearing their private discussion between the two. And as she made her way closer and closer to the sound of the growing skirmishes, Penny felt an unusual "chill" over the final part of their "arrangement".

* * *

" _And what purpose would Miss Belladonna serve?" the headmaster cautiously asked._

" _Valid testimonial; she will be the only other person to bear witness the knowledge I will share with you. I am sure that you were able to deduce my knowledge of your past."_

" _The blood."_

 _Sibyll nodded as he looked over to his Messengers by Blake's side, watching the girl intently. Their fascination and dedication went on unperturbed and the young hunter would allow them to keep the girl company during her sleep as they once did for him. He motioned for the men to follow him outside the room._

" _Perhaps we may continue this conversation elsewhere? The young miss needs time to recover and the privacy to do so."_

 _He exited the room with both men in tow, waiting briefly as the headmaster locked the door to the room. Allowing Ozpin to take the lead, Sibyll followed after the man down the hall into a separate empty room for their continued negotiations. Before Oobleck could follow suit, the young hunter held out his hand to stop him._

" _Thank you doctor but I wish to speak with the headmaster alone. I am confident he will confide what is necessary when deemed appropriate."_

 _Oobleck looks past the young hunter to see Ozpin nod him off._

" _I will be just a ways down the corridor should you need me for anything Headmaster," the doctor spoke._

" _It would be much appreciated dear friend," Ozpin replied in kind. He knew the doctor would act as an insurance should anything transpire, and stall the young hunter just long enough for Goodwitch's arrival. Both men knew the deputy headmistress would be more cross with them had they not alert her._

 _With that, Sibyll closed the door and decided to occupy an unused seat when he heard the footfalls travel further away form the door._

" _Now that we are alone," Ozpin began, "why the need for secrecy?"_

" _I have yet to find any reason to trust your associates. While the General does not wholly represent the many under_ _ **your**_ _command, I find much more comfort in addressing you personally." Sibyll folded his hands together before continuing. "Now, shall we address the concerns regarding Miss Belladonna?"_

 _Ozpin's eye hardened on the young man as he studied for tells of a bluff while not betraying his own doubt. Once again, the headmaster found himself negotiating with an element beyond his control. Their previous exchange had left both men wary of one another, mindful to tread lightly lest their agreement falls through once more. But even with the surety of Sibyll's words, there was an odd fixation on the faunus girl the headmaster couldn't dismiss._

" _The thought of one's blood holding their memories never occurred until your arrival," Ozpin conceded. "Yet there are concerns over the possible… drawbacks to your methods."_

 _Sibyll leaned back into his seat. "The first few memories will undoubtedly be the most difficult. Whichever ones are transferred to her will be disorienting as her body attempts to reject them, protecting her sanity from believing them as her own. In due time, she will learn how to guard her mind from the memories of both man and beast."_

 _The headmaster frowns over the last portion of the young hunter's explanation._

" _In due time?" he asked._

" _Of course. Her condition will worsen even after she wakes and without proper guidance she will become frenzied beyond control. As where things stand, Miss Belladonna is in a much dire situation than before."_

" _What makes you believe I will allow the involvement of one of my students any further?"_

 _The reply sounded more of a warning than a question to the young hunter, taking notice of tense muscles in the headmaster's hands. It was only to be expected as he gave his body a stretch, tired joints popping with satisfaction._

" _Even if we were to put aside the threats against her well being, she is contractually bound to the Hunter's Dream. No amount of external authority or resolve can break her free from it. I have warned her of the possible changes she will undergo and the duties expected of her to fulfill. It was_ _ **she**_ _who wished to live despite the safer alternative."_

" _The alternative being…?"_

" _I deliver a swift and painless death. I saw no merit in prolonging a needless suffering but I did not account for her will to live or that she was inevitably chosen by the Dream itself. I sought for a possibility of saving her on Miss Rose's behalf and the response was clear; in exchange for her life, Blake Belladonna is to serve the Hunter's Dream. Her contract will end when the terms are fulfilled, and before you ask they vary from Hunter to Hunter. I will guide her through the process as my mentor once did for me to ensure she does not succumb to permanent madness."_

 _Sibyll gestured toward the headmaster with an open hand._

" _So as you can see, headmaster, there is no need for you to refuse. You will have your desired knowledge on the impending dangers your kingdom may face and I will have earned my freedom to conduct my work."_

" _And if I refuse?"_

 _The young hunter allowed his hand to drop, his gaze evening with the man before him. Wisps of Ozpin memories still swirled in his mind, recollections of violence and regret from a time long past. Sibyll could still hear the cries of despair and empathizes with the man's hesitation to agree. Even among the echoes, there was a strange feeling that resonated at his core; a memory forgotten. Maybe it was the reason why he decided to try and confront the headmaster once more. If only there was someone who understood his circumstances…_

" _It will begin with a single person," Sibyll began, "and their arrival is heralded by the murmurs of a promise. All of the sick cleansed of their ailments and free to take back the lives once lost. The weak given a chance to become strong or the curious given insight to transcend the physical bindings into something more. They come bearing a wonder cure that is promised and given…_ _ **freely.**_ _It spreads among the innocent and ignorant, unaware of the danger coursing through their veins._

" _And when the masses are seen to benefit from this_ _ **vile**_ _'miracle', who are they going to believe?"_

 _The young hunter points to himself, then to Ozpin._

" _A 'madman' whose job is to slay them under the premise of 'saving them' or a man with a past colored with questionable ambiguity? They will turn against us while your enemies take advantage of your kingdom. The hunters become hunted and before they realize their mistake, your cities and kingdoms will have already been razed to the ground. Those who are left will be fed upon by the Grimm, further spreading the disease's reach to the rest of your world. Every single man, woman, and child will live the rest of their lives in turmoil as the darkness you wish to dispel grows."_

 _Sibyll feels the weight of his eyes grow heavy, exhaustion returning once more. Wearied by the sight of Yharnam and Addersfield, it was unknown when or if the end would ever be in sight. He had wanted for his Dream to come to an end, to put aside his blade and lead something close to a meager existence; to tuck away the memories of blood and beast away forever. And yet he couldn't quell the ominous feeling churning away in the recess of his heart. Misplaced purpose. Longings of delay. Confusion. Conviction._

" _I wish for us to avoid this future," the young hunter confesses. "I wish to stop those who pursue what they do not know and stay their hands from condemning everyone to a nightmare. Admittedly… I cannot do this alone. I will take any and all possible allies if it means there is a significant chance to prevent the Scourge of the Beasts. But all that I ask is that you place your trust in me. Allow me to show you what needs to be shown and in turn, allow me to mentor the girl and save her from the fate of all failed Hunters."_

 _The young hunter closes his tired eyes, hands clenched tightly._

" _She will suffer an immortal existence. Over and over, the young miss will be forced to face many deaths and the Dream will ensure she 'awakes' from each one; a nightmare that cannot be broken. The sheer madness of it will eat away at her sanity until there is nothing left of the poor girl. She is as much of a danger to herself as she is to others. I am not asking that you hand her over completely to me. I will only do her the service of providing her the means to bear the weight of her contract until the terms are met. The rest lie with her convictions."_

 _Silence filled the room as Ozpin contemplated the severity of the situation. The source of his concerns sat before him, extending an offer for cooperation against a single adversary. Knowing what they were up against meant the chances of success could be tipped in their favor. Yet it was only a possibility among many with variables still unaccounted for. The reports forwarded from Oobleck and Coco was cause for great concern and he still needed to study the samples on hand. If he were to align himself with Sibyll, even discreetly, there were would be problems should the young hunter's plan fall through. If Sibyll were to become frenzied in public, it would draw attention to Beacon and his position as headmaster should the truth be exposed._

 _The Council would have further support from the public in questioning his ability as both educator and protector, and Ozpin couldn't help but feel Ironwood would stand against him. It was apparent that the schism between them remained after all these years and despite the General's ideals and good will he remained as hasty as ever. There was the safety of his school and students, one of which is already forced to bear the weight of both his and Sibyll's burdens for the better of Remnant._

 _Too many dangers against the well being of those he had swore to protect._

" _Before I come to a decision, what exactly_ _ **is**_ _this 'Hunter's Dream' you refer to? You speak of it in a guarded yet reverent manner."_

" _That is something I cannot fully answer…" Sibyll replies. "Please do not be mistaken. It is not that I refuse to divulge what I know about that place. I am simply unable to articulate the very nature of it properly. The only thing I can say with confidence is that it is very old, established before my time. In terms of where…"_

 _The young hunter rubs his chin in thought._

" _Outside the physical realm? I apologize. I do not know how to explain further without contradictions. Perhaps a dreamscape that is and is not. Why do you ask?"_

" _You mentioned that this Dream_ _ **chose**_ _Miss Belladonna after she was infected with the plague. Will more instances like her occur? This 'immortal existence'?"_

" _I cannot say for certain. There have been cases where other hunters have not been chosen by the Dream and have proven to fight on even ground. But the Dream acts on its own accord. Should any of your other students be exposed to the Scourge of the Beast, I would not hope it chooses them as well lest they can brave the eternal madness."_

 _Sibyll continued to watch as Ozpin sorted through his own thoughts, turmoil hidden behind mask of indifference. And the he had been earnest in his plea for the headmaster's cooperation. The young hunter was unsure when Adam would be in touch with him but there would be too much progression from the opposing side. By extending a final attempt for a joint collaboration, there may be a chance to use Ozpin's sources to find his intended target. A month's worth of work could finally be caught up to if only the man agreed to his terms._

 _Sibyll couldn't accept a refusal._

 _Too much had already transpired and he already provided the incentives and "motivation" necessary to guarantee a successful agreement._

" _This cannot be made publicly known," Ozpin cautioned. "Should your work draw too much attention, I reserve plausible deniability in order to protect my academy, staff, and students from being tied directly to you. Whatever support I can provide is what you will receive. But let this be your only warning: If you place any of my students in deliberate danger, I will not hesitate to have you restrained. There are various methods to detain someone as tenacious as you without resorting to more violent means. Is that understood?"_

 _The headmaster extended his hand toward the young hunter laced with hesitancy. Sibyll could only smile in return as he reached forth and shook it firmly._

" _Subtlety and discretion are the bread and butter of any respectable Hunter. As for your concerns, I will do my best to clean up after myself and leave no discernible trace. Speaking of which, I should depart as soon as possible for Addersfield."_

" _And how exactly are you going to go about that?" Ozpin asks._

" _Carefully. I should be able to finish if I were to take them on one by one and dispose of the remains."_

 _The young hunter noticed the grimace forming on the headmaster's face. Giving it a momentary thought, Sibyll realized the nature of his response and decided to elaborate against his better nature._

" _This is part of the work I have to undertake. You must understand; there are no other means of saving the afflicted from themselves."_

" _There must be some way—"_

" _You are not the first to think likewise dear headmaster. And the time spent on that research, your kingdom may fall like the many I have come to see with my own eyes. "_

 _Were those words true? Sibyll had been witness to Yharnam firsthand but others? Why did that statement ring true when he couldn't recall. He shook away the thought as stood to follow the headmaster out into the hall. Ozpin signaled for Oobleck to join them on their way out of the hospital._

" _If that is the case, then we're going to need to find a reasonable explanation for both the Council and the surviving citizens. As much as I detest having to erase a tragedy, this needs to be handled carefully. I'll have Doctor Oobleck and Professor Port accompany you to survey the identities of those left behind. We'll have an accurate number of the casualties and the families of the victims will be properly informed."_

" _And the bodies? Surely we can return them," the Doctor added. The lack of an answer felt too prolonged as the Sibyll walked alongside them in silence before answering._

" _There can be no biological traces left over. I cannot risk anyone learning from the remains should word of my involvement catch on to our adversaries. Tell the families what you must, but there will be nothing left aside from the ashes."_

" _Are the Hunters where you come from this callous?" the Doctor pressed._

" _No. Some choose to use the dead for experimentation or to feed off from."_

 _Both Ozpin and Oobleck stopped to glare at Sibyll._

" _If it eases your conscience," the young hunter added, "I can have them buried properly. I do not know your world's funeral rites but I would not dare dishonor them any further."_

* * *

He recalled those very words as he looked down into the freshly dug grave where Cormack lay. It had taken the young hunter a bit of time to clear out the town thoroughly, keeping to the silent alleys and blind spots during his hunt. While it kept him out of harm's way, Sibyll knew that his progress had slowed when aiming for specific vital organs. They needed faces to be unmarred as they recorded identities, carefully placing each individual body in a cart to be carried off into the open field. Over and over this process continued; slay, mark, carry, slay, mark, carry, slay, mark, carry.

When the town had gone relatively quiet, Sibyll searched every building from their nooks to crannies for any remaining afflicted. He had cleared every basement and attic, taking particular care in the medical building where a few restrained afflicted stayed. Yet even as he searched, he had yet to find the one man whom he promised the safety of his child. Perhaps he had been wandering around town in his painful stupor, searching for fresh blood in the isolated town. Did he flee the town after quarantining his neighbors? Afraid to remain where they would hunt him until his change? These questions were answered when the young hunter approached the man's home; bodies strewn about in a bloody fashion, signaling a struggle on the building's front.

When Sibyll had knelt down to examine the remains, he was surprise to find defensive wounds gracing their bodies. Deep gashes and punctures from a bladed weapon, instantly recalling the tools of the man's beloved. The same marks were consistent with each body leading into the open space of the house, trailing toward the master bedroom. The interior carried an eerie darkness despite how high the afternoon sun hung. Silence. Claw marks against the walls where the photos once hung though mysteriously missing. The young hunter carefully stepped around the bodies and with a tentative grip opened the door.

Strained breathing came from a huddled figure in the corner of the room, back turned to Sibyll at the doorway. The furniture had been tossed about, broken, shattered in the same manner as the one who resides in it. Something looked to be hoarded in the corner with it, guarded carefully, feral in intent. One step toward it caused a groan of the floors, the figure turning quickly to face him, snarling with unnaturally long fangs.

It did not carry the same ferociousness the others held when in pursuit of blood.

The snarl came as a warning; a cornered beast forced to make a stand and justify its existence with teeth and nail. Cormack's clothes had become tattered with the skirmishes endured, showing more prominent bites beneath it. Limbs elongated, growing past the hems of his pants and shirt and matted with the familiar fur.

When Sibyll made no further movement toward the creature, it turned back to face the pile of its hoard. Haphazard and broken were the framed photographs, memories tangled into one another. Mother. Father. Child. It took up a photo, huffing breathes of confusion as it tried to make sense of the images. Something forgotten? A name… Her name… Their name… His. A strange hurt that didn't come form the scabbing wounds but inside.

"Cormack."

It turned to face the young hunter once more, considerably much closer now. In Sibyll's hand rested Evelyn; the hammerlock pulled back and a finger resting idly on the trigger. Orange pools of light watched the creature carefully but it held a similar suffering in the low light of the room. It was a sadness shared between predator and prey. The creature held the photo close, unconsciously hiding the photo against its chest as if to hide it from the man in the room. Another growl, a final warning. The young hunter remained and the creature could only whimper and whine as it was being approached.

"I hope you forgive me for the misfortune I have brought upon you," Sibyll spoke. The creature only watched with wary and fearful eyes, backing itself into the corner as broken glass crunched underfoot. "I swear Chisa will be cared for in your stead. I will see to it she understands the sacrifice you have made in due time and that she will never be in want. I swear this on my name and creed."

At the mention of the young girl's name, the creature's eyes flicked about. It carried a familiar sound, rolling off the tongue, and into a smile at the end of an evening story. Spoken tenderly with another afterward; discussions of sharing their happiness with more; filling the unused rooms. Two, no, three. Whispers.

Sibyll stood over the creature now. When it looked up, it felt the barrel of gun place firmly in the center of the forehead.

"Cormack Stevenson, may you find your rest in a life hereafter."

In that moment, Sibyll saw the father's eye grow wide with fear. Or was it resignation? The low light of the room obscured what he saw even at such a close distance when crimson colored the walls. The hollow sound of a body slumping over remained with the young hunter as he carried the body out with the rest. The remainder of the father's memories joined his own, but separated like the rest he had dealt with. So many visions of despair and fear, of a thirst that could not be quenched, coalesced into each other. But Cormack thought only of a place by the fire where Chisa curled up against him and his wife. A young girl excited at the idea of a baby brother or sister or both. His wife had yet to show signs but they had long known before the doctor had confirmed it. A long winter spent by the fireside, the scent of his family enveloping him, and a contented sigh.

Sibyll pulled the trigger of the borrowed weapon, setting the body ablaze from within the confines of the grave. Cormack had been the last to be accounted for and the last to be buried. It was his grave which Sibyll felt the deepest to dig, despite the ones buried together or alone. The man had been hospitable to a fault where it could not be repaid. He had been a stranger welcoming another in spite of the fear of an outsider. The man and his daughter had become people to be fond of as if they were extended family. Hopefully it was enough that he had taken the man's body where his wife rested peacefully. Sibyll had learned of it during a private conversation over lamplight and aged spirits which burned his throat with each sip. Cormack had wanted to rest there when the time came long after Chisa had grown. To return to the source where his family began. Family…

" _A strange word,"_ Sibyll thought.

He handed the weapon back to the doctor standing next to him as it reverted to an unassuming thermos once more. Oobleck remained silent as Port kept an eye toward the surrounding tree line. Their role of monitoring Sibyll's work had taken two days to complete with a majority of the time spent digging the graves for the fallen. Sibyll hardly spoke, only addressing them when necessary, but he never asked for their assistance. Even as he dug into the empty nights and early dawns, the young hunter merely repeated the task as many times necessary. Port and Oobleck would take shifts in watching but a portion of worry waiting in the darkness of the forest. Their keen eyes could easily pick of the pale, boney plates of the Grimm studying them from the safety of cover but never approaching. Their numbers greatly outmatch the trio with the pilot of the Bullhead in relatively safety in the aircraft. Should they feel inclined to, the beasts could have overwhelmed the hunters in hopes of satiating their distaste for the soul bearers. To the Grimm Professor's surprise, they didn't. The beasts merely watched with an occasional snarl carried on the wind.

"There is an unusual saying from where I have come from," Sibyll suddenly spoke. Oobleck and Port had not answered, but gave a curt nod to signify they were listening.

" _We are born of the blood, made men by the blood, undone by the blood,"_ Sibyll recited. "And in response, many would answer, _'Fear the old blood'_ I believe. The origin of it is untraceable and lost to time itself."

"You don't say," Port replied as the continued to watch the Grimm.

"But I cannot agree with the implications of those words. They express a preordained finality beyond one's control and that we are subjected a singular end."

"Is that not the nature of life and death?" Oobleck commented. Sibyll gestured to the many graves surrounding them.

"These people had yet to live out their lives. Had I not come across the Alpha that would spread the disease to this town, they would have been unaffected. If there is any merit from the saying, then I believe I am correct in stating the blood had stolen their futures. Innocents unjustly robbed. They were free before the discovery of the old blood…"

"While I find the notion impossible, how?" the doctor asked.

"Since its discovery and bastardization, the persistent presence of the defiled blood had called forth the service of 'Hunters' to quell the plague. Volunteers took up arms against their fellow man with the hopes ending the Hunt altogether. Decades of fruitless work with no end in sight. If it is not the blood itself which kills them, it will most certainly be those who must hunt down the afflicted. So long as the blood remains, so too will the Hunters pledged to exterminate it; thieves on both ends."

The fires continued to burn, losing its luster gradually and growing satiated from eating away the flesh.

"Which is why we burn the remains as apologies to the afflicted," the young hunter added. "Granted, it is a guarantee of sanitizing the area but it is much more than that. The ones like Cormack, who are trapped within their own bodies, deserve to be freed from their nightmare; freed from the blood and the unspeakable urges. In a sense… we wish to unburden their souls."

"A common funeral rite still performed today," Oobleck commented. Sibyll shifted in his spot as the doctor continued. "Many cultures interpret the cycles of life and death differently from originating Dust itself to reincarnation. Yet the most common rites stems from the oldest of notion in 275 BD (Before Dust). Ancient civilizations believed the body to be the vessel for the soul; acting as the physical embodiment of both protection and cage. The soul gives life to the body and in turn is trapped until the body gradually works its way into becoming obsolete. Maybe they believed the process of decomposition too long and began to burn their dead as a sign of respect. But I can understand now why you have decided the same, albeit just a fraction."

The fire whittled away into embers as the Sibyll began to shovel the earth back into place. He shoveled the dirt in repetitious action and rhythm. He had dug the grave deep enough to keep scavenging animals away but his thoughts wandered elsewhere.

What would he tell Chisa?

How would he go about stopping those with a head start?

Would Miss Belladonna allow herself to be mentored in his ways?

Could Ruby forgive him after all he's done?

Could this world really be rid of the old blood?

Finishing the final grave, the young hunter turned Oobleck with an air of uncertainty in his eyes.

"Were there any **other** civilizations that practiced rituals relating to blood? Are there any surviving texts or accounts of transcendence or sacrifices? Anything of that sort?" he asked the doctor.

"Well, I am only able to recall a few but their origins or due cause vary. I would have to look over my old notes but further inquiry would require much more research we could not do here. Why?"

"Because it is a fact, dear gentlemen, that my presence here is wholly unnatural."

Port and Oobleck's deadpanned lack of reaction forced the young hunter to elaborate beyond the painfully obvious.

"What I mean is that my service as a Hunter should have come to an end. To be involved for so long changes a person and it forces many Hunters into an early retirement if to avoid being consumed by violence of the Hunt. I was in that very situation before certain… circumstances decided otherwise. While I may not agree with the fate of both Hunters and the afflicted, I cannot argue against the idea that my presence here is no mere coincidence. And perhaps, that is why I am here: a Hunter best suited for what your world lacks."

The turbines of the Bullhead began to spin, picking up speed for their departure. With one last glance to the grave, Sibyll picked up his side bag and shouldered the considerable weight of the contents inside. Oobleck led the men toward the airship's cabin and, once securely inside, made their way back to the academy.

* * *

It was hard for Jaune to ignore the tension between the teams that morning. Two days after Team RWBY's return and the girls weren't fairing any better. The young Knight glances over at Ruby who continued to stare at her untouched meal in a state of unspoken disbelief. Her partner sat beside her, though the heiress was in a similar state as the pushed around her salad to humor it. Yang was nowhere to be seen but he had heard from other students of her constant trips between the medical ward and the headmaster's tower when classes ended for the day. The brawler had been trying to meet with Ozpin but the man had locked himself away in his tower, cancelling all of his appointments to meet with only a selective few. Were it not for Professor Goodwitch's intervention, Yang would have forced herself to the top by any means necessary.

But the cause for their current state may rooted in Blake's sudden admittance to the Beacon's ICU. While Ruby and her team tried to share as much as they could with him and his team, Jaune took it upon himself to find out more. He had tried consult with any of the professors or medical staff but both were just as clueless as he was. The cumulative answers given were along the lines of "to closely monitor her critical condition" and "under the order of the Headmaster." The only other person who could have known aside from RWBY was Sun and…

Jaune took a quick sweep of the room to confirm that the faunus was indeed missing. He had been equally scarce taking Neptune with him. The Knight found it odd that he would absent when Blake was in need of everyone's support (even if his team was kept in the dark).

Without speaking, Weiss stood and made her way out of the cafeteria after depositing her untouched food in the bin. Ruby took a deep breath before following suit, only to stop when Jaune called out to her.

"Hey, Ruby?"

The young reaper turned to look at him, doing her best to give him a reassuring smile.

"What's up Jaune?"

"I was wondering if you were… free today?" Jaune asked. It was a poor attempt at subtlety but he wanted to make sure the Ruby was okay; the girl had been beating herself up again over the ordeal. He turns quickly to Pyrrha beside him and his team, asking for their permission with a worried expression. The Champion's carried the same sense of concern as Ren while Nora talked adamantly with the hopes of maintaining a light atmosphere. She gave him a curt nod before Ruby tried to wave Jaune off.

"Oh! Um… I'm going to see my uncle right now about a few things. Maybe later?"

"Well, if that's the case," Jaune began as he stood up with his tray, "do you mind if I accompany you until then? I was hoping to get some time outside before class begins."

He began to make his way toward the exit as Ruby followed after, unable to come up with a valid reason to turn him down. Both leaders began to wander about the academy as Ruby lead them around. Jaune remained silent as they walked, allowing Ruby the opportunity to open up to him if she felt it necessary. While the young reaper would be diligent enough to attend classes, she hardly paid attention to the lessons in the classes they shared. With the substitute professors taking over for Oobleck and Port, Jaune thought it would be a nice reprieve for them from often difficult teaching styles. Yet Ruby's eyes never looked above the edge of the desks. The same faraway look in her eyes continued looking forward as the unspoken thoughts came forth of their own will.

"It's all my fault," she mumbled to herself.

"Hmm?" the Knight answered seeking clarity.

"What happened to Blake… it's all because of me." Ruby pulled the hood over her face, obscuring the world from her vision. She had **begged** for Sibyll to save her life from something that could have killed her; taken her away from them. She believed that the method of saving her would protect Blake from ever being in danger of the plague ever again. If she hadn't asked for his help, then Blake would… She felt a hand rest on her shoulder, guiding her to sit on a nearby bench.

"What's going on Ruby?" Jaune asked, taking his place next to her. "Ever since you all came back, things have been noticeably… off. None of the teachers or medical staff is saying anything or they don't know but it is clear something bad happened. So please, as your friend, tell me what's wrong."

Ruby met his even gaze as azure eyes looked past her self blame and confusion. There was a gentleness that did not hide any accusation on her part, only an understanding of the hurt she felt. She knew that Jaune would never blame her. Despite his lack of understanding for the basics of both combat and dust, he had always been kind; something she wasn't sure she deserved. The earnestness of his worry, though, forced the words to come spilling forth.

"Sibyll took away Blake's heritage… I don't know how he did it, but she's no longer a Faunus. I haven't seen her since they moved her but I know she's been suffering ever since. While the staff allows the team to see her, she's been refusing our visits… Sometimes we'll just wait outside the door, talking to her through it but she hasn't said anything to us. Between me, Weiss, and Yang, I know my sister has been bothered the most by it. She's been trying to find an explanation from Professor Ozpin, hoping that there's some way to fix this. But I'm sure you know how that's going…"

Ruby peeks over to the Tower from beneath her hood.

"And the one responsible is missing. Is… is this his way of proving his point to me? That things will only get worse from here on out if we keep trying to stop him? Or that there's no way to save those people if **it** happens again? If so, then why Blake? Why did it have to be her? Why—"

"—couldn't it have been you?" Jaune finished her thought. Ruby recoiled from the statement that crept in her mind as the Knight shifted in his seat to face her; his expression becoming stern. "That's simple: because it **never** happened to you Ruby and you shouldn't blame yourself for what happened back there."

"But I should've done something!" she shouts back. "Anything! I should've done everything I could to prevent it from happening! Planned a better defensive strategy! Fought harder and faster to clear out the town before those monsters attacked the townspeople! But it's **MY** fault that this, and everything else, happened! I should've… I should've-!"

Ruby suddenly felt a sharp pain on both sides of her face. It was brief and when she tried to move, she found that she couldn't.

"You can't always be in control of every situation Ruby. Even I'm struggling with that but I won't allow it to hold me back," Jaune spoke as he squeezed the palm of his hands against her cheek. "So you shouldn't either. If you think you made a mistake, do your best to make up for it and avoid it next time. As leaders, we have to accept those losses and casualties that come with the role but that doesn't mean we have to bear it alone. I know that without Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora, I wouldn't be able to be the leader they need me to be. So try to make it up with the rest of your team, okay?"

Jaune let his hands fall, allowing Ruby to rub the soreness (and hidden tears) away. When she felt ready to face him, Ruby pulled back her hood and gave him that awkward smile he knew her best for.

"Seriously Jaune, how come you're never this confident during sparring practice?" she asked him, watching the Knight revert back to his goofy dismissal.

"Well for one, I don't have one of Mistral's finest coming at me full force. I swear, Pyrrha's training helps but she never holds back on me. We've been going over close quarter combat and her grapples are hard to endure. I still don't believe a body is supposed to bend that way, let alone how legs are capable of having that tight of a hold. Seriously, I've never felt a tension like that before."

Jaune rolls his shoulder, remembering the dull pains of that lesson. He doesn't catch on to the sudden rush of red coloring the young girl's face.

"Still," he returns to Ruby, "it doesn't mean that I don't try. I'm just working out the kinks before I get better on the field. In any case, I better head off before class starts. I wouldn't want to keep you from your uncle too long, you know? Heh heh…" Jaune runs his hand nervously through his hair. "No offense, he's kinda intense for a Hunter. In the 'professional' sense, not the 'I can totally cut you down' way."

"It's probably the cape," Ruby replied as she stood.

"Hey, if having a one can make me as intimidating as him then I would have probably bought several of them years ago." The knight does his best to smooth his messy hair back, striking a pose in doing so. "The name's Jaune Arc, a lady killer moonlighting as a Huntsman."

In the very moment he flashed his toothy smile, Ruby released the pent up laughter of lighthearted disbelief. Responding with a mock sense of hurt, Jaune crossed his arms as he looked any other direction while the young reaper relished the idea of an impossibly smooth Jaune; the same Jaune who couldn't handle a ride into Vale without turning a slight shade of green.

"It's good to have grand ambitions Jaune. Even if it'll never happen," she teased.

"You never know!" Jaune gave a slight pout before giving Ruby an encouraging nudge. "Now go, before you fall for the old Arc charm. While the spots for Team JNPR are filled, I am still holding try outs for my affections and I don't think your sister would appreciate the idea of you being a candidate."

"Alright, don't get too full of yourself Jaune. Pyrrha wouldn't want you to fly off if you get **too** big headed now."

Jaune stuck his tongue out in response.

Ruby blew a raspberry at him in kind.

"You know," Jaune began, "if it happened to you or to any else in our group friends… I would still be glad that everyone made it out alive. It may be a bit selfish, but I wouldn't want anyone of you to die... Even if things are going to be difficult from here on out, I'd do my best to help carry that weight."

With a final nod, both leaders began to head off in their own directions. There was still some time before she would have to meet with Qrow, giving Ruby just enough time for one more visit. Even if Blake doesn't respond to their worried concern, Ruby decided to do her best in letting her know they were thinking of her. Hopefully a reminder would be enough to open up to them. Diverting her path to the Infirmary, she followed the familiar halls to where the ICU Ward stood. Ruby stopped at a nurse's station to check in for a visit, filling out her visitor's badge, and doing her best to ease the concerns and ignore the reminders. The sound of her boots against the linoleum echoed with each step until she came to a stop at Room 217. Tentatively, the young reaper knocked and knowingly received no answer.

"Blake, it's me Ruby."

"…"

"I know you probably don't want to see us right now, but I wanted to check in on you. See if you were doing a little better today."

"…"

"We're all worried about you, you know? Yang's been busy lately with trying to get in touch with Ozpin but I'm sure you already know that… And we haven't seen Sun lately either. Has he come to visit you?"

"…"

"I hope he has. You know, if I didn't know any better I'd say he likes you. Well, I mean he 'likes you-likes you.' Weird, huh? I mean, it explains how he was the one who came to you first. Or why he always looks at you when you don't notice. Or that he's around whenever… you are…"

"…"

"Hey Blake?"

"…"

"I wanted to say I'm sorry. I thought I was helping when I asked Sibyll to save you but I didn't think things would turn out like…this."

"…"

"We just wanted to save you. We would have done anything to make sure you pulled through. It's just we never thought the cost would change you…"

"…"

"I honestly don't know what you're going through right now… You're hurting more than just with your wounds and it feels like there's no one else to blame but me. **I** asked him to save you and he kept trying to warn us; to give us an out that would have hurt less. I don't know if he did this to you on purpose or… if you maybe blame me as well."

"…"

"I talked with Jaune before coming to meet you. He said some things I needed to hear, and I wanted to say that I'm glad you're here Blake. It's probably the most selfish thing for you to hear, but I really am happy that you're alive. Team RWBY just isn't the same without you and… You may not be well now, but I promise we'll do everything we can to get back what was lost. We'll find a way, okay Blake?"

"…"

"…I'm going to go meet with Qrow now before heading off to class. Yang and Weiss have been taking notes while you were gone so you won't fall behind. So, just come back to us okay? We miss you Blake."

Ruby placed her hand against the cold door, hoping to will any response from her friend locked away on the other side. Only silence filtered through in return and the young reaper could only sigh; not in discontent or sadness, but of a resigning doubt. She allowed her feet to carry her away, becoming quieter as she left the room alone.

On the other side, the room was in noticeable disarray with furniture overturned and fabrics torn. Remnants of grief and anger lingered as Blake huddled against the door, head tucked behind her knees as her arms held herself tightly. The fabric of her medical gown stained with sweat from the girl's restlessness.

She wanted to say something to Ruby, to let her know that she wasn't to blame for her change. Blake had been the one to decide her own fate, signing away her future unknowingly to something that haunts her veins. She had wanted to cry out to her partner whose continuous visits to the room made Blake guiltier. The brawler vowed to make Sibyll pay, to make Ozpin pay if they weren't able to change her back to how she originally was. That she would beat an answer from the headmaster himself if she needed to if it means to give back what "that fucking bastard" stole from her.

Even Weiss had come by to voice her concerns and dutifully updating her on the lessons Blake had missed. But more so, the heiress apologized for how she originally treated Blake with her callousness towards the Faunus. They had spoken briefly before, burying the hatchet in hopes of rebuilding a tolerance-turned-friendship. Weiss admitted that she didn't know what it must have been like to be a Faunus, but she could empathize with the pain of losing something that defined you. The heiress left those words hang between them before wishing Blake well.

Blake wanted – **needed** – the presence of her team, her friends. She struggled to since the transfer and had been refusing any aid by the nurses. When they stopped trying (or were they asked to?), she was left to suffer in her own thoughts over what had happened. She couldn't allow herself much rest as visions would swarm her dreams; places she's never been and people she's never killed. And the creatures she saw… Their varying sizes, their unnatural gait, and the untamed ferocity they held as they pursued her through streets and woods and caverns and halls. The torrent of foreign memories had taken to showing her each, individual moment where "she" would wander a strange city and kill any in her path. Her body moved on its own and, despite protests, forced her to watch them. A dry thirst was caught in her throat, unquenched with the water from the bathroom's tap. Her head ached with a surmounting pressure that would persist until she woke minutes later.

This process would repeat until she decided to force herself to keep awake. Blake could feel the weariness bear down on her eye, enticing her to close them for a brief moment, but she did not dare tempt what waited in her mind.

Yet avoiding the phantoms that haunted her dreams did not compare to the ones which watched her in the waking world.

Blake peeked over her knees to find the strange creatures watching her from afar; their pale, humanoid bodies resting in a strange ethereal light. It was the very same one that had consumed Sibyll when he had "died." She questioned what that meant with arrival of these strange things that seemed to inch closer and closer to her. Blake had tried to fend them off, scare them back into whatever nexus they hailed from but to no avail. Their bodies would fling about and disappear into the floor only to resurface elsewhere. Tiny, deformed faces would sway back and force, pale eyes (if one did have any) would regard here and their gurgling noises unsettled her.

Blake needed her friends, but she forced herself to keep them away. She had already lost her ears and if they were to discover she was beginning to see things… They may believe she had finally lost it. And maybe… she had.

"I'm sorry…" Blake mumbled as she hugged her knees tightly. The Messengers continued to creep forward, slowly.

* * *

As the Bullhead took to the skies and traveled away, the young hunter took a moment to observe his new "workshop".

The building itself wasn't as dilapidated or extravagant as Sibyll anticipated. Granted, it was old with how unattended it had been over the years. It looked sizable from the outside; familiar stone bricks forming the shape of the building, boasting of an open indoor space from the lengthwise design, and large stained glass windows with the shutters closed. Tucked away behind stood a neglected water tower, rusting away its use on worn, wooden stilts and, occasionally, creaking threateningly of an imminent collapse. The grass had grown wild within the tall, wrought iron fence; occasionally supported with a similar brick column. The building was far enough from the academy and into the Emerald Forest where students would not voluntarily venture but close enough for the headmaster to keep an eye on the young hunter should the man see fit to do so.

It wasn't the ideal setting for Sibyll to establish the Hunter's Workshop, but would suffice for the purpose it would have.

"He left it to you to take care off renovation and maintenance," Oobleck called out as he looked about the area. "Something about 'not clarifying the conditions of your demands' I believe."

"Always the fine print, is it not?" Sibyll called back as he stepped up to the front door. He reached out to handle, grasping it firmly and attempting to open it. When the door would not give way, he applied a bit of force against the rotted frame and permanently broke the rusted lock. The darkened interior echoed the noise of the intrusion briefly. Sibyll allowed his eyes to adjust before entering and began to open the shutters, shedding in light. The space was large to house a few pieces of furniture and workshop desks for weapon tuning, a brick fireplace large enough to warm the whole room, and doors which led to an empty bedroom and outdated bathroom.

Still, Sibyll felt as if there was something unusual about the building. He walked about the spaciousness, trying to find the source of the oddity he couldn't quite place. The floorboard in the middle of the room groaned under the weight. He looks down and, upon closer inspection, finds a concealed trapdoor from the accumulated dust. The door creaks as he lifts it open, peering into the dark descent of the underground room. Each step downward filled him with a sense of familiarity, as if he had known this place all along.

Touching down on solid ground, Sibyll's eyes adjusted to the darkness and found a forgotten storeroom of sorts. Barrels and crates line the wall with contents unknown. It would be something to look into for another time but something else had garnered his attention. In the center of it all stood a metal lantern; unlit and handing in the curl of the fixture. Unconsciously, Sibyll reaches his hand forward to trace the intricate details.

With a snap of his fingers, a pale light began to glow from inside the lantern. It was subtle, not enough to combat the dark of the room, but enough to feel a certain weight lift from his mind. At the base of the lantern his Messenger rose, clasping their hands together as if praying to the light. They would occasionally look at him, White Ribbon mostly, and he would give them a reassuring nod. They had been inseparable to him lately and it appears that the lantern subdues their unease.

" _The abyss seeking light,"_ he thought as he ascended the stairs. Careful to close the trapdoor, and exits the building to the men waiting outside.

"While it may not appeal to the eyes, it is more than satisfactory for my purposes," Sibyll called out as he approached. Port and Oobleck were murmuring among themselves, referring to the scroll in the doctor's hand, before addressing the young hunter.

"Very well then. Just in time too as Ozpin requests your presence at the academy."

"So soon?" Sibyll asked as he shifted the weight in his side bag to a favorable position.

"There seems to be an urgency which requires your… particular expertise I believe."

Sibyll thought for a moment over the implications before remembering another person of importance.

"Ah! Miss Belladonna of course. She must have woken some time ago."

"Yes, she has…" Oobleck replied tentatively.

"If that is the case, then I suppose I should meet with her. She would most certainly be disoriented with her new role and it would fall upon me to clarify a few details. Let us make haste in our return."

The young hunter made his way into the tree line with the professors following close. Port took shared a quick look with Oobleck, raising his brow as if to question the young hunter's enthusiasm. The doctor could only shrug in response, though he found Sibyll's unwarranted smile more than unsettling.

* * *

A knock at her door broke Blake out of her focus. She had taken to curling up on her hospitable bed, properly propped up, with the hopes of staying above ground. The girl had made a point of throwing objects at the creatures in warning if they had gotten too close and they had responded by keeping to a distance, if slightly. With the sounds of the lock becoming undone, she assumed it would the nurses again to try and feed her the much needed meals. Blake had refused for the lack of appetite and the want of solitude.

"You certainly do look worse for wear."

Blake's head snapped up as the headmaster enters. Her hands reflexively tighten their grip on her arms as he slowly approaches her, stopping just before the end of her bed. Ozpin looks around at the remains and exhales a despondent sigh.

"Glynda is certainly not going to like financing the damages and repairs of the room," he speaks more to himself. When he finally turns to face Blake, she could only glare back in response. "At least you're okay Miss Belladonna."

"With all due respect headmaster, I don't think I can fully agree with you." Blake runs her hand through her hair, stopping where her cat ears once were. She could almost feel a ghost-like warmth of the furry appendage, but it had been so long since she last tended to them. In her desperation to hide them, it was ironic that her life should have been made easier without them. She could finally pass for a human and no one would believe she would be a former White Fang member. If she really wanted, she could have gone into hiding in plain sight for those still hunting down dissenters… and turn back on the one thing that reminded her of home, of her parents. Blake brought her hands back down.

"I'm sorry to learn about what happened to you. It was unprecedented and—"

"Save it," she answered promptly. "Why are you **really** here, sir?"

Ozpin frowns over the curtness of her response. Relieving himself of another sigh, he moved to sit at the edge of her bed before pulling out his scroll. Quickly skimming through the messages obscured to Blake, the headmaster puts away the device.

"I found a theory which can explain your current state of change. While it may be hard to initially believe, I can find no other explanations that may better fit your situation. I only need to confirm it with you and Mister Sibyll before we follow through with the next step."

"Confirm with me? What can proof can I provide?" Blake asks. The headmaster stands and motions for her to follow her out of the room.

"In due time Miss Belladonna."

Blake was reluctant to follow despite the headmaster waiting for her in the open doorway. Ozpin held a patient look as her feet tentatively touched down on the cold floor. He allowed her to lead and together they walked down the hall in silence. A few nurses began to protest before seeing the headmaster and bowing respectfully as they passed. Ozpin nods in return, thanking them for their continued hard work, and moves onward to the opened air grounds. With classes in session, the school grounds were empty and allowed them privacy as they made their way around to an unfamiliar building.

Entering, Blake found the halls to be similar to that of the sparring arena of Goodwitch's class. The sounds of battles could already be heard from within a few closed rooms, the ground occasionally shaking with unexplained tremors.

"These arenas are solely reserved for the third and fourth years, although I believe there would be no need for further explanation."

As Ozpin finished elaborating, a nearby door suddenly jerked against a sudden weight with something slumping at its base. Blake gave it a wary glance before following the headmaster into an unoccupied room. For all intents in purposes, the arena had an uncanny resemblance to Goodwitch's class with the exception for the additional safety measures around the room: blast shields, stretches on hands, etc. It looked freshly used but Blake couldn't understand why here in particular to move their conversation.

"The noise from the surrounding classes will act as natural cover for our discussion. The doors will automatically lock when I see fit and ensure that we receive the time necessary to sort a few details."

"What is there to sort out?" Blake demanded.

"For one, the dreams you've been having the past two days. Well, when you allow yourself to sleep that is," Ozpin replies. In Blake's stunned silence, he continues reading from his Scroll.

"Have you been experiencing any surreal situations in your sleep? Events that you have no control over yet feel as if they were your own? Remembering foreign memories or anything of that particular nature?"

"I—yes but what does that have to do with any—"

"And these dreams… are they of a particular place? Something definitive to a city you can describe in detail?"

"Professor, I don't see how this is—"

"Please Miss Belladonna, it is imperative you answer these questions."

Blake's eyes narrowed the possible intent behind those words. If the headmaster had picked up on her hesitation, he had not let it show as her body tensed.

"And if I refuse?"

"Then I see no reason to keep you in my school any longer."

Her blood ran cold with thoughts halting at the idea of losing her teammates.

"While you have my sympathies," Ozpin added, "I have to place the safety of my students as a top priority. Rest assured, your team will be taken care of and we will find a suitable replacement that best fits their open position. But I cannot in good conscience allow you to attend my school when you are a danger to the school."

"How can you say that!?" Blake cries, her fists clenched with an unbridled rage.

"You've seen the footage yourself. If your change is similar in nature to resemble Sibyll's disposition, then you understand why I am reluctant to have you on campus. There is no telling when another incident like that may occur, with a student no less."

Ozpin's eyes bore into hers, commanding a power Blake had experienced on few occasions within the higher authority of the White Fang. Even so, he was threatening to remove her from her team. A snarl began to build at the bottom of her throat, a sound unfamiliar without natural nuances her heritage carried. It was a meager imitation at best but in threat could be felt between them: Blake would not abandon her team by choice or otherwise.

"Which is why I need you to cooperate with me," Ozpin added. "There are things you know which I need to confirm, the details hidden away in your mind that could validate the one person who can help your predicament. Without it, I cannot take his word to be true and would be forced to deal with you both. I wouldn't want to remove you from your team but the situation grows more demanding with the ground we continue to lose. So please, cooperate with us."

"But I don't know if I can," Blake responds. "The things I'm seeing flash to quickly and they don't make sense. Where would I even begin?"

"You can begin with what you know," a voice calls out. Blake turns to find the creak open and Sibyll enters the room with Professor Port and Oobleck after him. Blake scowls at his presence, the young hunter being the source of misery. She wasn't sure if the grin on his face was intentional, but it did not ease the temper already building from the situation. Sibyll turns briefly to the men, thanking them for their time and politely relieves them of their duty before continuing his approach. Port and Oobleck look over to the headmaster who nods in agreement and both professors turn to leave the arena. Sibyll stops just before her, his smile faltering as he looks her over. When his eyes drift up to her hair, it disappears completely as they return to meet her golden irises.

Sibyll said nothing as he turned to Ozpin, addressing him curtly.

"Shall we begin then?" the young hunter asks. Ozpin nods and turns to Blake.

"What have you seen Blake?"

She hesitates, unsure how the visions she witnesses would help preserve her place with her team in the academy.

"There's… a city. Tall stone buildings cut with an antiquated style?" she began. The details of the foreign memories began to flow, often confirmed by Sibyll at specific points when she struggled over particular portions. Blake would describe the movement patterns of the plagued denizens, bizarre creatures of the more mutated, and…

"Sometimes I see this monster," Blake phrased carefully. "It towers over you, making you feel small in comparison. One of its arms outsized the other, mangier fur, and a larger claw. Its rib cage was exposed and the mask it wore didn't resemble the Grimm. It was black with a sort of gnarled design, and looked as if it grew from the creature's skull itself. The howl would be piercing, sharp enough to break any person's confidence. But that isn't the strange part…"

"Would you care to elaborate?" Ozpin asked.

Blake searched through her thoughts, trying to find the unusual anomaly of the beast. Granted, its very existence was unnatural and impossible. Yet she found that strangest detail would be—

"It used to be human," both Blake and Sibyll spoke in unison. She turns to find him unsurprised over the revelation as if expecting it.

"A Cleric Beast formed from captain of the Church Hunters. Prolonged exposure to the blood transforms them into greater beasts, boasting a size telling of mass consumption," the young hunter elaborates.

"So if any one person would continue using this blood," Ozpin begins.

"Then they too would eventually become a noteworthy beast," Sibyll finished. He then snaps his fingers, calling forth his Messengers from the abyss. From the diffused, foggy light they arose, startling Blake with their presence as the girl leapt back from them. Ozpin was about to question her reaction when Sibyll pulled forth a leather-bound journal from the fog. Opening the contents quickly, he searched through the numerous pages and stopping on one to show them image inside.

Both Blake and Ozpin observed the accurate details of her description of the memory, sketched onto the page with faded ink. In the margins around it were notes and observations the young hunter had made, as well as possible explanations as to why the creature came to be.

"If you wish for further proof, I can have the young miss describe a creature which neither of you have seen," Sibyll added as he turned the pages away from Blake's view. Stopping at another, he handed journal to the headmaster and turned to Blake.

"What exactly is ' _Winter Lantern'_?"

A brief flash surged through Blake's mind as she saw the creature briefly, but features were enough to make her unwell.

"Numerous eyes…" she struggled. "This strange bulbous and fleshy head holds all these eyes. Beneath it are appendages, tentacles perhaps? And… the body beneath it is human but… I'm sorry. I can't…"

Blake gripped the side of her head as the image of the creature created a throbbing pain. She could hear the distorted melody it sang and it turned to look at her through the memory, those eyes filling her body with a dread that threatened to rob her sanity.

"It's too much for me to handle…"

She watches as Sibyll begins to search through his bag, pulling out a small bottle, uncorking and handing it to her.

"It will be alright. Drink this. It will help stave off the madness building up within you."

The concoction carried a foul scent but Blake drank it regardless. The bitter taste travelled downward, leaving in its wake an unsettling coldness which began to numb mind. Blake couldn't quite clearly recall the image she had seen but she was thankful for it. Sibyll turned to the headmaster and pointed at the journal.

"You have in your hand everything that needs to be known about the blood and its effects. With this, it should be enough to exonerate me of any residual doubt you initially had and my terms are thus fulfilled. Is this satisfactory?"

Ozpin glanced at a few pages, picking up peculiar words of interests and nods.

"It will have to do," he admits as he tucks the journal away. "I believe now would be the time to explain Miss Belladonna's situation."

"Please," Blake adds as she tries to shake off the residual chill from the concoction.

The headmaster pulls out his scroll and activates the arena's hologram display. Five separate images came to form, each displaying various depictions of blood samples. Blake noticed the glaring differences between a healthy sample and her own: her blood cells seem darker in color, shaped with sharper angles and absorbing other cells into its own. A few other images show similar actions with blood cells being absorbed…or destroyed completely.

"What exactly are we looking at," she asks.

"Various blood types with and without the foreign infections."

An image with the healthy sample lit up next to another labeled "Sibyll". His blood sample resembled Blake's, confirming that she was, on a biological level, the same as he.

"The danger though, lies in these two samples," Ozpin stated as he lit the images labeled "Original Strain" and "Grimm Strain". The "original" sample carried the same characteristics as Blake and Sibyll yet the cell acted with are predominant habit of absorbing everything. The blood within Blake remained passive, refusing to take in any of the other cells around it.

"The first strain acts on a need to consume the cells of the host, assimilating them into a condensed form. This creates a widespread reaction as the white cells and antibodies cannot combat the infection are destroyed as a result. Strangely enough, this new blood acts as a buffer against all known diseases; eradicating the sick or afflicted area and reconstituting it to its original form. In a sense, this blood forces the host to be healthy in order to properly thrive within the body."

Ozpin switches the image over to the second image.

"However, this 'Grimm Strain' forces the host to change its biological makeup. It destroys the cells around it in order to propagate its own. Muscle mass is broken down and reconstituted, bone structure altered, and the brain… is over saturated with blood. What would normally cause a hemorrhaging develops into a cranial restructuring."

The image of the Grimm strain begins to swarm and destroy the brain cells, leaving in its wake a crimson and black substance as it overtakes the organ.

"I don't have enough evidence to go on but I can assume that the source of this strain has something to do with Grimm as a whole. Upon death, the bodies left behind would have disintegrated into nothing but the 'first strain' forced a change in their form as well. As a result, a mutation was born from it where it is undoubtedly lethal to not only the Faunas, but humans as well."

He brings up another image labeled "human" and "faunus", showing the effects of the Grimm strain: complete destruction on a biological level. Blake found her blood running cold when we observed how quickly the strain affected the faunus sample, subverting it into another thing entirely.

"Yet those of faunus heritage are more susceptible to the second strain and the results would by synonymous to those found in Addersfield. Theoretically, advanced progression of symptoms, physical alterations, increased hostility. To put it aptly, we are facing something that could quite possible jeopardize the entirety of Faunus kind…"

Eradication.

It was the only word came to Blake's mind as she watched the infected cells continue to tear apart and consume the other cells. Something that contagious and lethal exposed to the kingdoms and the outlying villages… It wouldn't just be just another civil war with the Faunus hunted down once more. Remnant may face another Crusade if her people become infected, giving those with malicious intent a reason to turn their blades against them. But they had stopped the Beowolves at Addersfield. They had confirmed the kill count hadn't they? If the Schnees were to this against her people…

Ozpin switches the image over to the last image.

"If someone were to receive the Original Strain, the changes may not be as apparent but the results are the same. There are few anomalies from the tests that I've run regarding the faunus samples, but as of right now our main concern is to stop the White Fang. Should they get their hands on this 'old blood', we cannot say for sure what the outcome may be for us or for them."

"But this doesn't explain what happened to me," Blake interjected. "I should have been dead if the Grimm Strain spread through my body right?"

"The contract," Sibyll reminded. "Without it, the transfusion would have been moot. I have witnessed hunters who have used the old blood to even themselves with the beasts they hunt. But without the contract to protect them, they are just as marked for death. Yet you already know that miss; you do have **my** memories after all."

And Blake **did** know that. She saw herself hunting down other Hunters who have gone mad or began their early stages of beastly transformations. "Her blade" had cut down hundreds of men and women, setting their bodies ablaze as she traveled throughout Yharnam; breadcrumbs of smoldering bodies. But it did not ease her conscience having Sibyll's memories as her own, leaving an unsavory taste in her mouth.

"All those people you killed," she forced through gritted teeth.

"It was necessary of me to do so as it will be for you," Sibyll replied.

"I will **NOT** kill anyone!" Blake screams back. " **You** may take pleasure in the Hunt but I swore to never harm an innocent person. I won't let myself turn out like Adam or you!"

She stops, reaching a hand to cover her mouth as she realized the slip in her words. Blake turns to face Ozpin, hoping that he may have misheard but the man was already pulling up files on her notorious ex-partner.

"We already had our eyes on Mr. Taurus long before your arrival Blake. His involvement with the White Fang's attacks on the Schnee Dust Company in this region had called for special attention from the Council. Though do not despair as we won't endanger our informant on the inside by having him arrested. _'The enemy of my enemy'_ , as they say."

"It is true," Sibyll confirms. "The reason I agreed to go with him in the first place is that he believes his organization is manipulated by the second party. It would only be reasonably to suspect foul play even among the adversaries. If I succeed in my work at stopping this White Fang from damning themselves, he will begin uprooting those who aim to use his people for another's gain. Your friend is safe for the moment."

" _Friend,"_ Blake thought. She knew they would never be as such the moment Adam committed to hurting others to send a message.

"In any case," Sibyll began, "I believe it is time we sort some things out as you begin to learn your role Miss Belladonna. Thank you headmaster for informing of the young miss's condition. I will take over from here."

The young hunter takes a step toward Blake as she forces herself away.

"What are you talking about?" she asks.

"Well, you need someone to guide you in your new role. The headmaster allows this as it is necessary for you to acclimate to your condition. I promise that this will not affect your attendance in school as I—"

"You can't be serious!?" Blake asks as she turns to Ozpin. The man could only resign with a sigh.

"He is the only one who holds the knowledge in helping you. I have looked into possible alternatives and methods in restoring your condition, despite what your partner believes. But we don't have anything that could explain or make sense of your situation Blake. I'm sorry but he is the **only** one who can help you."

Blake looked between both men, finding no words to help her. When she looks at Sibyll, she cannot help but feel an unbridled rage at being deceived. Had the man known this would happen to her, used her as a means of freeing himself, she would have struck him down. Yet it is only when she stares at Ozpin does her fury intensify; the man had condemned her to suffer alone with the very man who changed her. He had threatened her place with her team if she refused to be complacent with their cause and it begged the question of how often he had done so with other people. Would it be retribution if she were to make him see firsthand the pain she suffers? Would her teammates understand why she had pushed them away? Would the headmaster's blood…

"That anger you are feeling," Sibyll comments, "where do you think that is coming from?" He moves to stand in front of her, placing himself between her and the headmaster.

"That bitterness is not unfounded, but consider why you have readied yourself to fight. Do you intend to throw yourself in scuffle with your headmaster? Or is it something else urging you onward? A thirst perhaps?"

Blake didn't understand what the young hunter meant until she looked herself over; knees bent, arms apart and hands poised to strike. She wanted to hurt the headmaster but why? She had cooperated and that would be enough to preserve her place with her team right? Why did she want to reach out and have a small taste of something formidable and powerful and—

She forces her body to relax, standing loosely. Sibyll looks over to the headmaster.

"Do you mind sending Miss Belladonna's weapons to **that place** for me? She will need them for her acclimation. Oh, my belongings as well if you are still in possession of them."

"Of course. Now, I'll leave you two to it," Ozpin speaks as he slowly makes his way out of the arena. The young hunter turns to Blake as she focuses her sight on the ground before her. As the door closed behind them, she continued to avoid his gaze. Sibyll expected her to be reluctant but never this difficult. He supposed new Hunter were that way by nature. His eyes drifted back to the top of her head where ears once rested. If it were to happen to Chisa… Sibyll smothered the thought, putting aside the budding guilt for when he was ready to address the young faunus girl. He promised her father that he would see to it that she would be cared for, going so far take her in himself.

Was he capable? Sibyll knew of the friction between man and faunus, but would anyone refuse such a sweet girl for her ears? And if they did, could he care for her in Cormack's place?

"So this is the result," he muttered to himself.

"Result?" Blake asked. " _ **RESULT**_!?"

She grabs him by the lapel of his long coat, shaking him roughly.

"Did you **know** this was going to happen? Do you know what you've done to me!?"

Sibyll frowned over the accusation before realizing that the girl must had misunderstood him; believing the remarks to be made at her expense than his own. But the statement stood the same nonetheless as her change fell under similar circumstances: Chisa deprived of her family and home, Blake of her identity.

"I had my suspicions, but no," he admitted. "I did not know this would be a result of the contract."

"You **ROBBED** me!" Blake screams. "You stole my life, my identity, and that's all you can say for yourself?!"

"I presented you with a choice," Sibyll responds calmly. "A chance to bid your farewells to those you who care for you before, but you wanted to live. I cannot fault you for that but in turn I had given you a warning. You would inevitably become like me. I never expected for it to be so literal but **you** willingly signed the contract. **You** willingly **gambled** your life at a second chance. I have taken nothing from you."

Even as he saw her hand coming quickly at him, he made not move to stop her. Her nails raked against the side of his face, leaving four, thin, red lines angled against his cheek. Her breaths were shortened puffs of anger, eyes glaring with hostility familiar to him.

"Don't you **dare** believe you lack any sense accountability!"

Of course she would be angry and blame him for what transpired. She would spite him, forgetting the fresh pains after the transformation which would remain in her body for some time. And most notably, Sibyll could feel the resentment she had for him. And Sibyll couldn't bring himself to reprimand or speak otherwise.

The young hunter remembered reacting the very same way toward Gehrman when he realized what became of him. Cured of his disease only to find his body carrying something sinister had not made him pleasant either. Sibyll had been irate with the Old Hunter when the man explained his role as a new Hunter. The old man had been kind enough to bring him out of his fury in a way Sibyll saw fit for the situation.

Blake's body reeled and fell to the floor when the young hunter's hand struck her across the face. The impact stung more than it should have with her aura and when she found the pain continuing to linger, was surprised to taste blood in her mouth. A tentative hand reached up to find the corner of her lip split, bleeding slightly. She jerked her head back to Sibyll to retaliate, only to find that his face began to glow with an orange light. Traces of blood, her blood, had drifted toward the lines on his cheek and closed the wounds. The glow dissipated and Sibyll closed his eyes, absorbing the memory given to him.

He watched as Blake was being tucked in for the night, the tenderness of her father when he ran his fingers through the girl's hair. Sibyll could feel gentle hands combing through velvet hair and stroking ears not his own. A sigh of happiness follows as Blake sleepily watches her father leave her room, a small glimpse of her mother peeking in before closing the door. The scene begins to fade into the recess of his mind as Sibyll opens his eyes. He looks down at Blake who watches him with confusion, seeing firsthand the healing factor of the Hunters.

"I have seen how much you cherish you Faunus trait," the young hunter says to her. "The sentimental value you have placed in the ears taken from you, those memories… You have lost something that cannot be replaced and you have my sincerest apologies for your misfortune."

He offers to help her up. Blake's eyes drift to the extended hand warily.

"I had no knowledge this would happen to you. I suspected that you transformation would only be limited to the blood which courses your veins. To see for myself that I am awfully mistaken is an understatement. But please understand that I have no control over the unilateral actions of the Hunter's Dream. I am like you, merely a servant to it until my role is complete. So, allow me to help you Miss Belladonna."

The earnestness of his words contradicted his actions. This was a man who held no mercy despite the title he had been given by the victims. Dark, crimson blood covered him head to toe as he carefully walked the halls of some regal palace, abandoned to time. Even if he wore a leather face mask to keep the blood off his face, she could feel his occasional smile. There would be anticipation for the next prey and how to hunt them.

This was the very same man who would allow Chisa to play with his messy hair as she talked about things she learned. He would show her how to properly pronounce words difficult for her age. An earlier memory showed of how Sibyll would listen patiently as Ruby explained various subjects to him, the eagerness in her voice. He would joke with her and she would reply with one of her own or a hit that would never hurt. Sibyll had treated Blake with care when she had been rendered unconscious. He could have killed her then, save himself the trouble but he hadn't.

"What is this Hunter's Dream?" she asked him, amber eyes glaring down orange.

"You may see it for yourself," he simply stated. The young hunter flexed the fingers on his extended hands, emphasizing that he help her up. Slowly, her hand found his and Blake was pulled to her feet. She never noticed before but he stood only a few inches taller than her. Sibyll had given her a quick smile when their eyes met again as he swiftly unsheathed his blade, plunging it through her heart.

The pain was unbearable as the cold steel slowed her heart. She tried to struggle against his hold but the young hunter held her tight. Fear filled her as her sight began to fade, darkness taking control and then… nothing. The pain faded as if it were a shock from a dream; the moment your body slips into free fall between wake and sleep. Her body felt strangely light as it dissipated in a glow of light, the hands of Messengers guiding her away. Sibyll watched as she was spirited away to the Dream itself and sighed. He never liked using underhanded tactics but she would believe him when she saw the realm itself.

He searched his bag, pulling out a folded, faded yellow cloth. Unfolding it, he found the Hunter's Mark drawn in black ink and he could feel his mind drawn into it.

"BLAKE!" a voice calls out.

Sibyll looks up to find the blonde brawler burst into the room, accompanied by another man of similar hair color. Yang's eyes looked about frantically after seeing Ozpin leave the arena unaccompanied. It had been Sun that called her when he found it strange that Blake was being escorted away from the infirmary. When they both found the young hunter standing there in a pool of disappearing blood, Yang's hair glowed ferociously; more than it had ever been before.

" **WHERE IS SHE**!?" Yang roared as she shifted Ember Celica into active.

Sibyll gave a tentative look to the mark in his hand before addressing his current company.

"She is fine. I will be sure to return her to you and your friends by nightfall."

The young hunter had been quick to dodge the blasts of Ember Celica's incoming round. He side stepped away only to find something aglow in his peripheral vision, forcing his body into a roll to avoid the explosion of spectral clones. When he believed the young hunter as vulnerable, Sun sped his way into the blind spot to fire his weapon. The attack just misses as Sibyll forces his body away once more, moving into a roll towards the monkey faunus. A fist follows through, catching Sun in his solar plexus, taking the air out of his lungs as his aura took most of the blow.

Before Sun would retaliate, arms looped around his neck and under his arm, trapping him in place as the barrel of the run rest beneath his chin. Yang's right hook just stopped short of striking the faunus across the face as Sibyll's finger rested sternly on the trigger.

"I do not have time for this," he warned darkly. "Now please, step away at a safe distance and the boy will not be hurt."

Yang's eyes met with Sun's, his pleading for her to ignore him if it means getting at Sibyll and subduing him. She lowered her hands slowly, stepping away at a distance. Sun was about question her until she notice her eyes flick from him to his captor. It took him a moment before he realized what she intended.

"I promise Miss Belladonna is safe and well," Sibyll spoke as he stepped back, taking Sun with him.

"Then whose blood was that?" Sun struggled to ask. The young hunter thought for a moment as he took another step back, gripping the Hunter's Mark tightly.

"I suppose it would be hers."

Sun summoned his aura, his clones manifesting and exploding as it forced the young hunter away from him. It bought Yang an opening she needed and lunged toward his body midair. Using the blast of the shotgun shell to propel her forward, her fist connected against Sibyll's body… or so she thought.

Sibyll allowed the punch to push his body away, using the force to give him a safe distance away as he placed the mark over his face. He could feel his mind be drawn into the abyss toward a familiar light and his body soon followed, leaving behind the angry cries of the faunus and brawler.

* * *

Blake stirred from her sleep as she took in the scent of dirt and flowers. Eyes fluttered open, unsure of what to make of what happened as she propped herself up from the ground.

" _What happened?"_ she thought as her eyes focused on her surroundings. She found cobblestone paths leading this way and that, white lilies lining the path here and there. Resting on her palms and knees, she looked up to find a building resting upon a hill with a light emanating from its stained glass windows. The skies colored with blues and grays as night fell. Blake stood, gathering herself as she looked about: the area fenced in with cobblestone and wrought iron, and in the distance many pillars stood ominously. There didn't seem to be an end in sight and as she approached the fence found that there was a cloudscape below. A small plot of land atop a pillar in nowhere. She looked about the sky hoping to find stars which would tell of her position and direction. The skies were empty. Or were they simply hiding them to spite her? The light from the full moon shouldn't have been enough to obscure—

Her eyes snapped back to the moon, unshattered in form and hanging lazily in the expanse.

" _That can't be!"_

Her mind tried to make sense of the scene before her. Remnant's moon had been broken long before anyone could remember. Many of their history remarked how unusual it was for such a thing to remain fragmented yet orbital in the sky. And the sheer size of it being so close was just enough for her to reach out and grab it.

"Where am I?" she asked, unable to hold back her sense of bewilderment.

"This is the Hunter's Dream."

Blake turns to find Sibyll standing behind her, carefully holding some folded garments and Gambol Shroud.

"And it is here where you will learn how to become a Hunter."

* * *

 **A/N: Sibyll is no longer alone per se, but it is fair that Blake has her work cut out for her as a newly born Hunter. Threw in a few MGS references for fun (and because I'm still coming quoting Ocelot lines) and I'm looking forward to the Bloodborne DLC coming out November 24. Will I take some time to play it and incorporate the weapons and lore into this fic? You can bet your dollar I will!**

 **In any case, midterms are on the rise and I'll be back at work with that for a while. I'm still editing the previous chapters (damn you Chapter 3!) and still looking forward to Sundays to better give the RWBY verse a proper portrayal. I promise to add more Sibyll/Ruby dialogue scenes for those who are looking forward to it. I haven't forgotten about them and they are my favorite scenes too.**

 **As always, please leave a review and ask any questions you like. I'll do my best to answer them without spoiling anything. Until next time!**


	13. Fraying at the Edges

**A/N: I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday with their families. But let's get down to brass tacks: How about that Bloodborne DLC? I'm just two bosses short of completing the add on and already more ideas are beginning to form. I even added more notes down on my to do list which includes actual "in-game stats" of Sibyll and Blake. And when I'm not "studying" with the Old Hunter's DLC, I'm traversing the Commonwealth in Fallout 4. Oh man, those games.**

 **In any case, another chapter has arrived and things are getting real tense. As always, leave a comment, review, or concern after the read and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask them! I do my best in addressing any and all concerns you may have. With that, please enjoy the latest installment.**

* * *

Yang's fingers drummed against the armrest of the chair, fuming over the idea of Sibyll slipping away **again** , with Blake no less. Her jaw was set in a tense manner, a frown etched on her face, as she continued to stare down Professor Goodwitch sitting across from her. The professor was currently preoccupied with adjusting the academy's budget for the repairs needed in the infirmary, unsurprised that the headmaster would leave the task to her. Ozpin should have considered himself lucky as he was that she was passing through at another professor's request when she found the brawler mid-strike. Goodwitch had been quick to send her away, trapping the brawler with her semblance, and demanding for an explanation. Now, as she reaffirmed the funds, the professor would glance up from her work to the girl before returning her attention.

"So, why am I here again?" Sun asked from his seat. Both women turned to him, glaring, before returning to their previous state.

"Ozpin is currently contacting your academy's headmaster, Mister Wukong," Goodwitch stated as she stamped the various forms. "We wanted to inform her of your involvement with Miss Xiao Long's 'disruptive' behavior as you are our guest for the tournament. While we hold no responsibility for other students' behavior, we are not exempt from delivering punishment when necessary. Depending on her answer, this may very well affect your team's participation in the Festival this year or the many after."

Sun slumped in his chair knowing his teammates would be more than cross with him if the punishment followed through. They (Neptune) had warned him time and time again to keep out of trouble, to take his role as leader seriously. But to be banned from the one thing they've been training all year for? The faunus shuddered at the thought of an enraged Sage.

"That's bullshit! Sun wasn't involved!" Yang protested. "And even if that **were** the case, he only called me in when Blake was being moved! Her team wasn't notified of anything and with the way things have been lately, we can't help but be concerned!"

"And that justifies attacking your headmaster, Miss Xiao Long?" Goodwitch countered.

Yang found herself stumbling over finding a reasonable excuse, and found none that could help he cause. The professor in question gave a brief "hmph" in dismissal before finishing the finalizations of the paperwork. The brawler would never outright lash out to one of the strongest Huntsman the world has known, but the sheer idea of the man working with Sibyll, handing over **her** partner to him without any refusal? She found it hard not to hold back her anger toward the man who was supposed to protect his students. Yang found it unbelievable that the headmaster would work with someone like Sibyll, all signs pointing to an inherent danger. She had believed that the evidence her and Coco's team had submitted was enough cause for concern to put the man in authoritative holding. But to hear from Sun who had seen Ozpin escorting Blake to Sibyll…

Her hair began to glow with her frustration but was quickly subdued from Goodwitch's spell. Yang gave a brief look over to Sun who was just as uncomfortable over the amount of force used to keep him in his seat. She hadn't mean for him to be caught up with her situation but thanked him nonetheless for letting him know. There was a tentative knock at the door which opened only after Goodwitch bid them entry. Ruby carefully peeked into the professor's office, her expression faltering over the sight of her older sister; defiant and angry. The professor waved her in and she was followed by Weiss and Neptune.

"Hello, Professor Goodwitch," Ruby greeted warily. Yang already earned the ire of the Huntress and she wouldn't dare add to that fire. "We got your message after class. Is… everything alright?"

"Not in the slightest Miss Rose," the professor responds as she places the papers into a folder. "Your sister assaulted the headmaster earlier today unprovoked. Despite my intervention and the severity of such an act, which would result in immediate expulsion, Professor Ozpin saw fit to leave her punishment to me. I have arranged for Miss Xiao Long to volunteer for kitchen and janitorial duty as well as weapon suspension. In addition to that, she will also be barred from participating in spars until I see an improvement in her behavior. Hopefully it will be enough to clear her head and set her straight."

Yang was on the verge of protesting before she felt Ruby's hand rest on her shoulder.

"You got it professor. We'll be sure to see that she arrives on time whenever she's needed to," the young reaper answered with a smile. "Is there anything else?"

Goodwitch looked over the girl as her scroll vibrated. She pulled out the device, read the message accordingly, and put it away as she turned to address the monkey faunus.

"As for you, Mr. Wukong," she began. "You are exempt from sharing the same responsibilities as Miss Xiao Long but we do not condone acts of petty theft. Remember that you are a visiting student in another, and your previous run in with local authority mars your academy's reputation. As such, your headmaster deemed that you are to be accompanied by your teammates **wherever you go** until the festival's end. She believes that your team's presence should be enough to keep you out of trouble or from jeopardizing yourself any further."

With a wave of her riding crop, the spells holding Yang and Sun in place disappears as Goodwitch stood from her desk.

"You two are training to become people to be respected in the public eye. When you graduate, it is **you** to whom the citizens and outliers will look to when the Grimm threaten the safety and security of the innocent and defenseless. Your actions here and now are what will define the kingdom's perception of you and it will take considerably longer to undo the mistakes of your youth. I would not wish that for any of you."

Goodwitch's eyes rested on the two teens. Sun found the corner of the professor's desk rather interesting as her words felt synonymous to Neptune's consistent nagging. Yang refused to meet her eye knowing full well the professor is correct, with the brawler overstepping her boundaries.

"Now off you all go. You still have classes to attend to and the remainder of the day. I will forward Miss Xiao Long's volunteer schedule to Miss Rose. That will be all."

Ruby gave the professor a quick smile before pulling her sister after her and out of the room with the rest following suit. As they left the building toward their next class, the young reaper suddenly turned to her sister wearing an exasperated look.

"Seriously Yang!? Ozpin!?" she cried.

"She does have a point," Weiss added as she turned to face the brawler as well.

"I know, I know. It was stupid and I wasn't thinking…" Yang conceded. But it was not enough for the young reaper.

"It's not just that. You missed class _again_! And whenever you're NOT going to those, you're busy going between the infirmary and Ozpin's office. This is a team effort if we want to keep Blake up to date with the lessons."

"I'm doing this **for** Blake," Yang reminded. "We've been left with no answers and the ones who **have** them aren't so keen on sharing. I intend to get them one way or another."

"Just like with that club in Vale earlier in the year?"

Yang narrowed her eyes at Ruby as the young reaper stood her ground. Before she could respond, she was met with a look of resignation that was familiar to the brawler having seen it once before. There was a longing held back behind silver eyes, dilating in need of her, a tired weariness residual from the completed mission. Her face tensed at the eager pleas for the brawler's help and the subtle, elevated pitch in her voice signaling desperation. Her young sister had that same look when she finally came to terms with Summer's death.

"I know you mean well Yang," Ruby started to say. "And _all_ of us deserve an explanation as to why things turned out the way they did. But you can't just go at it alone, not like when we were kids."

Yang flinched at the mention of the incident where she found a lead of her missing mother. It had been a stupid decision to bring a much-too-young Ruby along in a desperate attempt to find her blood mother. The young reaper reached for her hands, giving them a firm squeeze seeking some affirmation.

"We have to do this together, _as a team_. And when Sibyll gets back—"

Yang pushed Ruby's hands away, eyes turning red at the mention of his name.

" _Still!?_ After all this time and what he's done?"

"Yang—" she tried.

"No, Ruby! You've been defending him ever since he arrived. We tried giving him the benefit of the doubt, but with the way things are, the things _I_ found out, don't put him the best light. We can't trust him and yet you do!"

" **I DON'T!"** Ruby shouted back. Yang took a step back as the young girl did her best hold back her anger.

"I don't trust him! Not anymore, okay? Does that make you feel better? Because **I** don't know what to think about him. Even **Sibyll** felt okay with me distrusting him! But that doesn't mean we should leave him out of it if he's the one with answers _and_ Blake."

Ruby fished out her scroll, searching through her messages to bring up one in particular with the Headmaster's insignia on it. Yang's eyes scanned the message, a brief notification that Blake had indeed moved from her room to undergo "physical and mental re-training" with Sibyll and would be returned soon. When she had finished, Ruby tucked her scroll away in her uniformed blazer, turning on the spot to lead them back to classes.

"So we wait. We'll wait for Blake to come back, find out what she knows, and get our answers from Sibyll whenever he shows _without_ getting ourselves in more trouble. Alright? Now let's just… finish our other classes."

Ruby began to set off despite the rest of the teens recovering from her outburst.

"Well," Sun finally spoke. "I didn't think she had it in her but she's a lot like Yang. Go figure."

"And just where were _you_?" Neptune asked. He firmly slapped his partner on his shoulder. "You're just as much in trouble for cutting class to. You know how Sage gets when our **leader** doesn't act the role."

Sun looked back then towards Yang who had started to watch him. With a sigh, he pulled out his own scroll and showed them a list he had been compiling. Yang, Weiss, and Neptune looked closer to see the faunus had been keeping a record of books relating or pertaining to Aura, transformation, supernatural occurrences, medical journals, and anything he believed could explain Blake's new form. They looked up to find him avoiding eye contact.

"I've been in the library trying to make sense of things. I mean, Beacon is known to be the best academy for aspiring Huntsmen and Huntresses right? And it's the only one with a large reserve of information both on text and data. Atlas being seconded," Sun looked over to Weiss, "no offense."

The heiress simply rolled her eyes but decided to follow up with his investigation.

"Did you find anything?" she asked.

Sun shook his head and put away his scroll.

"Everything I found doesn't fit. It's always some form medical or technical thing that isn't applicable to Blake. Even when I went to look in the restricted section of the library and nothing could be found there either. You'd think something _would_ be there but most of the files are restricted to faculty access only."

"Wait, how did you get into the restricted section?" Yang asked.

Sun gave a small smile, trying to hide something but Neptune had already caught on.

"You didn't…" Neptune pleaded. Sun only shrugged his shoulder is submission which prompted his blue haired partner to run his hand over his face. "Are you serious!? You **stole** the librarian's scroll? Especially after that warning you just received?"

"I made sure to return it when he wasn't looking! And come on man, I was just trying to help the only way that made sense. Yet here we are still on square one!" Sun placed his hands in his pocket as he looked towards Ruby who had stopped to call out to them. "I'm just trying my best with what little I have to help with… It's just hard to find anything having to do with ripping the faunus part from a faunus and with what Blake is going through…" The monkey faunus let out a sigh before receiving another firm slap on his back. This time, from Yang.

"Alright alright, we get it. We all made mistakes—"

"You two made mistakes," Weiss commented.

"—and we're going to learn from them," Yang continued. "No need to get sappy on us just because you haven't had your daily dose of kitty cat. We'll figure something out later with everyone else."

Sun tried to shirk away the heat crawling to his face but Ruby and Yang were right. But he could see the strain in her smile, forced for both their sakes. They needed the full effort of all their friends to figure out a way to change Blake back to her faunus form. But Sun still worried over the detail about this "Sibyll" guy, the one who caused it initially. Gut feeling or not, he didn't like the idea of the man being so close to Blake or the rest of their friends if the results were always volatile. Even before the man left for three days, Sun felt an unusual chill in observing from a far; how the man would tread carefully, his hand resting on the hilt of his weapon as if expecting another fight. It was predatory in a way, eliciting another ill feeling at the bottom of his stomach. He only hope that Blake would come speak to them, him, about what was going on or how she was feeling. The moments _he_ speaking with here were more or less the same with her team: ignored. But he had promised to help her, even if he had to exhaust all of his effort to do so. Still…

Sun looked over to Yang who had moved on ahead to walk in step with Ruby. He wasn't sure if he should bring up how… pleased Sibyll had looked when he was being escorted to where Blake had been moved.

* * *

Blake rolled away from another strike, throwing her body out of the whips angle and to repeat that same action when it came again. Her body and joints burned; a wholly unfamiliar feeling where her aura _should_ have compensated for. It was one of the few things she was forced to come to terms with as her " _Hunter's Training_ " began. She couldn't draw upon its presence, only to find that her body remained unprotected with the first few lashes received. It was a strange and empty sense of displacement, as if missing a breath in a critical moment. The pain hurt even more when she unconsciously tried to use her semblance and leave a clone behind. She could feel each individual blade cut into her skin, her muscles, leaving a painful icy trail spilling her blood. She figured he would stop and give her a chance to acclimate to the pain yet remained persistent.

They had been "sparring" for some time and Sibyll never allowed her a moment's rest, using his weapon to "teach" her the basics of evasion. Blake remained bloodied for the moment, memories of her life siphoned away into the young hunter with each successful strike. She retook her stance, turning to face the young hunter with her body ready to counter.

"You are improving," the young hunter spoke as he whipped the blood of his Threaded Cane. "Yet you continue to hesitate, attempting to call upon a power no longer there. If you wish to survive Miss Belladonna, then you will have to keep pushing the limits of what you are capable of _without_ your aura. Now, once more."

Sibyll dashed forward, allowing the whip of his weapon to follow through as he made to break Blake's guard. It snaked in the air, building up momentum from his wrist and came down upon the girl, angling to strike her across the torso. Instead of rolling into his guard, Blake backpedaled away from the whip, legs aching as she forced her body to move in a backflip. She made sure to watch any subtle movement of his while unguarded. The tip of the whip's reach grazed her back, the young girl gritting her teeth in hopes of willing away the pain. Yet as she touched down, Sibyll suddenly appeared just before her and broke her balancing, pivot his leg to strike her behind the knees. Blake buckles under the surprise attack, falling backwards on the ground as the young hunter pinned her. He placed the weight of his body on the knees holding down her arms, restricting any retaliation. He held the Cane aloft, shifting it back into form. Blake's eyes widened at the metallic point striking down just near her face. Sibyll's eyes bore into hers, the victor of their spar as he remained above her.

"Be wary of using any acrobatics if you are unsure of your blind spots. It may prove useful only if you know when and where to use them."

He stood, freeing her from his hold as his eyes assessed her injuries.

"Sit up, it will only take a moment to mend your injuries," he said as he knelt down beside her. Sibyll pulled out another blood vial from his pocket and, before Blake could protest, injected it into her thigh. She hissed as the sharp pain, as her body began to glow in an orange light. The warmth of it began to fill her body as the blood began to close her wounds, as if they never existed in the first place.

" _Still haven't gotten used to that,"_ she mulled over as the warmth began to wane. Yet the fact he had been able to take her by surprise concerned her the most. As far as she knew (or what she's been told by him), he didn't **have** a semblance or aura to protect him. Sibyll mentioned in passing that Velvet had confirmed it for him and that was enough. Blake decided she would go speak to the rabbit faunus as soon as she can to understand what that could entail. Still, Sibyll continued to move unhindered by his crippling lack of defenses. Could it have been the place they were in? If so, why couldn't she do the same?

"How did you do that?" she finally asked him. Blake looked up to find his expression puzzled. "I mean, you were _there_ a moment and then **gone** another. I kept my eyes on you the entire time and you just disappeared."

"Ah," Sibyll replied as he stood. "Do you mean the art of Quickening?"

" _The art of what?"_ she thought.

He moved to stand a few feet away from her, pulling from his pocket an old bone. Sibyll then proceeded to pull forth two quicksilver bullets and placed the three items into one hand. Closing his eyes, his crushed them together under a firm grip and… was gone. His body disappeared in a hazy smokescreen. Blake searched around the area, trying to find him until she felt a firm hand rest upon her shoulder. Her head spun around to find him disappearing again. Blake rushed to stand on her feet as she felt as slight tap against her shoulder. She tried to find him in the between the appearances of smoke but failing to do so. It was a dizzying affair and only came to a stop when he appeared before her once more in the same abrupt manner. Blake took a step back as he pulled out the Old Hunter's Bone for her to see.

"A peculiar practice formed from the bones of another Hunter. He too was an apprentice to Gehrman and mastered it so well it was ingrained into his bones. Still, I am unsure as to how or why it requires the use of quicksilver bullets. Perhaps it is the quicksilver?" he mused. Sibyll noticed that Blake remained unsatisfied with his answer and proffered the bone to her.

"You may wish to have a go if you like," he suggested pulling out another two quicksilver bullets. Tentatively, Blake reached out and held the item in her hand. The bone had worn feel to it, the years of constant use in the field. The bullets themselves carried a bit of weight which is unusual for an element liquid in its neutral state. Blake thought back to how Sibyll used all three in conjunction, and tried her best to imitate the results. Her hands clenched around the objects, trying to bring them into a singular form she believed were the case. The bullets merely strained against each other and the Bone. She tried once more, squeezing with as much force as her hand would allow.

The Bone refused and Blake felt Sibyll's hand rest on hers.

"It will take some time before you are proficient enough to use any of the Hunter's tools. For now, we have an idea of where you stand in terms of skill and I am not surprised."

"How so?" Blake asked as she returned the items to him.

"Your prior training is certainly beneficial, meaning we will not have to worry about understanding _all_ of the rudimentary groundwork. We will focus solely on molding your style to compensate for your absent aura. When I believe you are ready, we will then undergo your first Hunt."

Blake's eyes narrowed at the young hunter.

"I **won't** hurt another person," she stated as clearly as she could. Just because Sibyll was helping her shape back into form (or something resembling it) didn't mean she would allow him to force her hand. Apparently, he was as adamant as she was.

"The time will eventually come where you **must** , despite your protests," Sibyll replied with a sigh. "You will come to understand this when you are faced with no other alternative. And for every life you refuse to take, several more innocents will be placed in harm's way. You may have the protection of the Hunter's Dream but dying during a Hunt will only set your work back. You may not hunt the afflicted now, but it is inevitable."

Blake could only scoff at his reasoning. Sibyll knew it would be hard to prove to the girl that reluctance would only prove to stunt her growth as a Hunter. She would need conviction and determination in order to survive and overcome the inherent madness of it all. Her stubbornness proves to be a difficult hurdle but the young hunter hoped she would come around when the moment called for them. He admired her for her will to protect the lives of the innocent, but believed it would have been a waste to train her if she remained so headstrong. For now, he would teach her to evade and elude. Only when she was ready to accept the full weight of their title will he teach her to guard her heart and mind from the madness.

"I will not intentionally throw you into hunting down people for now. During your first Hunt, we will make use of the surrounding forests to test your skill against the Grimm," Sibyll admitted as he took his fighting stance.

"And how long will it take until then?"

"As much time as we need."

"We can't stay here forever," Blake countered. Although she felt doubt creeping into the back of her mind as she took in her surroundings once more. They stood in an open field filled with lilies swaying gently about. Several wood construct were erected about, eerily hinting at the methods used to quell the number of beasts. Yet the only thing intriguing about the Dream she found was in the fully formed moon. It hadn't moved from its position in the sky, let alone makes any reasonable sense of not being broken.

"Time has no dominion here," Sibyll stated as he gestured to the field around them. "The night of the Hunt will remain so long as our roles are unfulfilled. We may spend what we believe to be weeks, months perhaps, here and time will not have moved as forward upon our return. Until then, we will continue with the basics until we discover a solution to the memories building within your mind."

"A solution?" the girl asked as her hand reached up to her forehead. "I thought everything would be resolved here and now."

"That would naturally be the case. But… someone has been missing for quite some time, someone vital to our work and your growth."

"You mean this Gehrman you mentioned before?"

"While he too is also missing, it is his assistant I am referring to. She is… a denizen of the Dream and manipulator of the Blood Echoes. Without her, the memories of those you hunt will remain in the confines of your mind, withering away your fortitude. But leave that for me to worry about. There is much of our training to undergo."

Shifting the Cane into its whip form once more, Sibyll waited until Blake settled into her evasive stance.

"If you are able to go unharmed without being hit thrice, I will deem you ready to move onto the next lesson when we return here another time."

"How _generous_ of you," Blake replied sarcastically. She had yet to breathe afterward as the tip of the whip left a small gash upon her cheek, and she flinched from the sudden pain. She leapt back, using the back of her hand to gauge the severity of the wound and staunch the bleeding. Her face shifted from a grimace, her body still unused to the sudden pain, to a scowl as the young hunter smiled from afar. A smug grin filled with a sense of superiority and dark satisfaction, so Blake believes.

"I would agree," Sibyll added. "Were Gehrman here to be your mentor, you would appreciate the leniency of my methods than that Old Hunter. If he were to so much as graze you out of a thousand strikes, you would have to begin once more from the beginning."

"I find it hard to believe you were made to dodge a thousand strikes," Blake countered. Sibyll's free hand rubbed his chin in thought, another smile forming, much deeper than before. Blake still couldn't understand how he was able to make such expressions that glaringly contradict his usual disposition; the often gloomy and detached man replaced by another who would try to joke with her. While subtle, Sibyll shared the same small smile he would give Ruby as Blake would often notice in their time as Addersfield. She wanted to believe it to be some sort of false front meant to placate her into cooperation. To give her a sense of camaraderie if it meant she would bend and accept his philosophy, his way. Just like Adam.

But unlike her former partner, she found sincerity in his good mood. Blake would find that smile forming whenever she would successively dodge his attacks, him completely invested in her training. He never allowed himself to be frustrated with her shortcomings, let alone show them. In place of it, he had given her advice on what to be aware of in terms of evasion and slipping into one's guard. This had been their format since they began and he seemed keen on thoroughly working with her as well.

"A thousand is quite absurd," the young hunter conceded. "Then again, the man had put me through my paces with five thousand. Leave it to a Hunter of great seniority to find amusement at the expense and displeasure of others. Come now Miss Belladonna, I have promised to return you by nightfall and it would not do to keep them waiting any longer than they should."

"Wait, when did you—?"

Sibyll suddenly dashed forward, using the movement to gain momentum for another attack as the silvery metal snaked after him. Anticipating his approach, Blake rushed to meet him had on, ducking at the precise moment his arm followed through and keeping an eye out for the flick of his wrist. The Cane whipped after her, missing her by inches as she successfully slipped under Sibyll's exposed side… at least she believed she did. Blake felt his arm abruptly snag her by the throat, using his size to throw her off balance and back to the ground. She coughed, the shock of the counter wracking her body. She heard the sound of the whip and rolled away from the jagged edges scarring the ground.

The young hunter waited, giving her a moment to stand her ground, and was met with the same scowl she had been giving him the entirety of their training.

"I _really_ don't like you," Blake simply stated as she prepared for another of his onslaught.

"I would not have it any other way," Sibyll replied in kind.

* * *

Dusk fell on Beacon Academy as Ozpin looked over the necessary paperwork once more. He had been able to contract Huntsmen and Huntresses to take up residence in Addersfield to permanently protect them from such another attack. He had hope that it would be enough for the town's council and people as an apologetic gesture for suffering their losses. Most remained in outrage and while he had assured them of their safety, they remained undeterred. Collectively, the blamed the "monster" that brought the Grimm to their town, how he (Sibyll) was responsible for the death and destruction. A community turned angry mob, demanding blood for blood.

Still, Ozpin had been able to dissuade them. He had reminded them that their service as Huntsmen and Huntresses were not to act above the law, to not condemn themselves to the practices of the White Fang or the Crusaders of the past. That the young hunter's death would not undo the damage or bring back the lives lost. The headmaster stated that a thorough investigation will be involved and that those responsible would surely be met with proper reprimand. All of it had been white lies but he was in need of their cooperation as he had with Sibyll. Settlements outside the walls were vital to the kingdom's infrastructure and to have them lose faith in them would only create discord.

The only thing which continued to add fuel to the fire were the accounts and accusations of Sibyll requesting that they quarantine some of their own people.

Stamping the papers with the academy's seal, he had finished the necessary documents for the transport back to Addersfield. Those who have suffered a loss had been informed of where their loved ones remained and they will receive the necessary support for their return home the following morning. Removing his glasses, Ozpin rubbed his eyes as the exhaustion set in. He eyed the empty mug knowing the caffeine had run is course. Still, another drink would ease his nerves as Qrow had to depart once more in search of the reclusive White Fang and their associates.

The elevator signaled its return and with it came Professors Goodwitch, Port and Oobleck.

"You certainly look well!" Port's voice boomed as a he took a seat in front of the desk.

"That would hardly be the case, but he does indeed look much better than what we learned," Oobleck added as he occupied the remaining chair. Goodwitch moved about the room, about to prepare another fresh pot of coffee before Ozpin stopped her.

"That would be alright Glynda," he stated as he reached into a desk drawer. From its confines, the headmaster pulled out a decanter of amber liquid and handed out several glasses.

"O-ho! Vacuo's finest brandy huh? I never would have guessed it would be **that** sort of occasion!"

"And to drink on campus when we expressly forbid the older students from doing so?" Goodwitch chided. It still did not deter her from accepting offered drink as such occasions with Ozpin were a rarity.

"I believe that as the educators, we are able to bend a few rules in our favor," the headmaster assented. He placed the decanter own and raised his glass with an unspoken toast. To the students and their safety. To the people they serve. To themselves who continue to survive in a bitter and unforgiving world. Together they drank, allowing the liquid to fill them with a sense of warm before placing the glasses upon the desk. They would need it for what was to be discussed.

"Peter, Bartholomew," he spoke, gathering their attention. "What have you found?"

Port gave a heavy sigh, the thick mustache drooping slightly at the thought. Oobleck removed his glasses, carefully putting them down, and loosening his already limp tie.

"It is as you feared. We are facing something we have never seen before, on a level that it may turn the tides against everything we achieved," Port responded solemnly. "Never have I seen such an unsettling specimen of Grimm so well preserved yet so volatile. We've encountered and fought all sorts of those beasts, but to be so unsettled by this strange creature's _remains_? If the boy was the reason for such a change, then he is just as dangerous as they are. He claims to be a Hunter, but I firmly believe that whoever had taught him follows a more ruthless approach."

"And it shows in his _execution_ ," Oobleck added. "Ironically enough, he carries all the attributes that James would admire of any student or cadet under his tutelage: efficient, precise, and thorough. He never allowed… them… to leave past the gates of the town and began to torch any remains of all bloodied rags he used to clean within the area. I'm sure you saw the expenses for a medical ward in the paperwork."

That particular section had been the most frustrating to work over as it consisted of requesting compensation from the Council on behalf of Addersfield. Ozpin had reported it as an on mission mishap and it would take some time for the contract builders to completely restore the remains.

"Was it really necessary for him to destroy the building?" Ozpin asked.

"It's the only building where the carnage was worse."

He looked at Port, the trouble expression deepening as the man swirled the amber liquid in his glass.

"Bart and I never went in; he asked us to stay outside to keep watch for stragglers. When none ever came, we understood why. They all congregated within the ward and one by one he dragged their bodies out. Just peering inside was a hazard in of itself and he asked that we _'cleanse the building"_ to prevent contamination. It was where they were holding the original victim of the bites. We tried to convince him otherwise but the boy remained steadfast."

"And you just let him!?" Goodwitch shouted at the revelation.

"We didn't agree with it, but it was necessary," Oobleck explained. "It is apparent that this Sibyll character knows more about this threat than everyone gathered here. While I don't like to admit it, history has shown us that the 'outsider' who comes with a warning is often ignored or dismissed."

The doctor placed his scroll on Ozpin's desk, allowing the files and photos to hang between them. Both he and Goodwitch saw firsthand the results of Sibyll's work: the bodies falling one by one as the young hunter slays them, carrying them off for transport, the cleanup of the carnage, and all while wearing an empty expression. The sense of unease began to build as few snippets of video were recorded shown Sibyll within his element. He moved quickly, fluid with a sense of purpose as his blade plunged into the hearts and heads of the afflicted. He never so much as flinched as the resulting blood colored him, never hesitating to eviscerate one of the larger afflicted with his hand. Ozpin's felt his back tense slightly at the sight of the savage disembowelment, wondering if the result would be synonymous should the attack from behind.

Goodwitch was appalled at the sight, trying to make sense of the violence and found herself incredibly filled with disbelief and anger. _This_ is the person Ozpin was allowing in their academy? _This_ is the headmaster of one of the most prestigious academy is willing to work with. Before she could reproach of such a decision, Oobleck opened up some more files; they consisted of historical accounts and depictions of civilizations long gone and their practices before the discovery of aura. Most of their history is displayed before the public within museums and preserved files, but the particular set the doctor had brought forth would be considered blacklisted by the Council.

It spoke of blood sacrifices, bridging on cannibalism, as a means to transcend the weaknesses of both Faunus and Mankind. So many "myths" around the archaic experimentation, trying to appease some primordial being revered (feared) as a god, and the results were equally terrifying. The bodies within the crude drawings were changing, their forms drawn to have more animalistic features and attacking the Grimm head on. The earliest record of Remnant's aura discovery told vaguely of a way to harness the soul and use it in conjunction with some form of ritual. It would serve as a means to sever the body away from aura and by destroying the soul altogether would one find true power to fight against the Grimm. Hunt the beasts by becoming one.

"Any records regarding the **original** locations for these rituals have been lost to time, but the information of the practices continues to remain here with us," Oobleck spoke as he took another drink. "And from what is written within those texts, we _do_ know that there were **four** prevalent civilizations that had undergone these practices before mysteriously disappearing. Each focused on a specific aspect of study regarding the body or, like Sibyll suspected, some form of 'transcendence' as it is aptly put."

"You can't mean…" Goodwitch tried to finish.

"The four founding kingdoms where born from these civilizations," Ozpin concluded. He considered that the situation would only to continue to escalate should Sibyll and his source be correct about their adversary. Whoever was searching for the origin of these practices was planning on using them against the kingdoms and their people. The headmaster looked at the files once more, finding no comfort in the evidence before them. The embodiment of all their fears rested in the appearance of a stranger and Ozpin disliked the idea of Sibyll having as much free reign to act on his own accord. Yet without him, they would be a great disadvantage if they were to ignore his warnings.

Oobleck took back his scroll and with it the data he had been asked to gather on the Ozpin's behalf.

"What must we do?" Port asked as he straightened his back. For a Huntsman many years his senior, Ozpin felt relieved to have the man's resolute loyalty. Oobleck shared the same disposition as his eyes hardened, and these two were only small fraction of the staff willing to guard the realm and the futures within their student.

"We stay the course," Ozpin answered. "The Vytal festival will begin and I'll have Qrow continue his work in searching the city for the White Fang. James will be too busy with overseeing security to interfere but I would feel much safer if you kept an eye on him Glynda."

He glanced over as the disciplinarian and, while disliking the idea, she agreed. He turned back to the gentlemen before him.

"I know you two will be busy with both your curriculum and as announcers to the tournament. But I hope it won't be too much if I ask that you look into a few more details for me regarding some concerns over our 'associate'."

"Of course Headmaster," Oobleck replied. They stood, nodded, and turned to take the elevator down. When the carriage had taken them away, Goodwitch moved to stand beside Ozpin.

"I don't like the idea of having to spy on an old comrade for you," she finally admitted.

"The feeling is mutual. Yet I wouldn't doubt the idea of the General having his own 'eyes' hidden among the throng of our students. I just need to make sure he doesn't do anything drastic."

"You mean other than the military airships currently floating over the city?" she questioned, pointing outside the glass windows.

"That and he might be focused on apprehending Sibyll should the young man be discovered on the academy grounds. He isn't aware of our arrangement and I would like to keep it that way. Better he focus on trying to impress the Council and the citizens of Atlas' strength of security. Hopefully before tonight, Qrow has discovered something substantial before our numbers are spread thin."

Ozpin rubbed the sore joint in the back of his neck. The day had been long and having to deal with persistent Ironwood, the Council, and the strong willed Xaio Long had taken its toll. He exhaled a sigh before feeling a pair of warm hands work away the tension built up. They unknotted the muscles, careful to overdo the pressure from the aura used in delicate hands; a familiar mauve aura melding with his. Just as he realized how rarely he drank, Ozpin was more surprised by Goodwitch's occasional tenderness, unfit for someone whose conduct is solely by the books.

"I wonder how much more a situation would have to be if I can experience such a rare delicacy," he commented. He felt a slight twinge of pain as her gripped tightened, before loosening itself altogether.

"You've been holed up here for too long, dealing with this on your own. I'm just helping ease that tension as best as I can, knowing you'd never allow yourself to slow down," Goodwitch chided. "But don't think you this will become a regular thing. I'm already busy with combat and aura studies to have to bother with this again."

She continued to work on his shoulders in silence; a few sighs and groans exhaled with each knead. When she had deemed it enough, she gave his shoulder a slight pat, signaling the end of her "kind gesture". Her hands were about to slip away before they were caught gently by the headmaster's own. She glanced down to find him watching her, appreciation regarding her with familiarity, tenderness, and… guilt.

"I'm sorry Glynda," he apologized, "for putting you in a compromising position between James and me. He means well, and he always acts with the interests of others first. But I am afraid that he may be too confident with the power under his hold. He has not only the support of the military and his students, but with various Councils outside his own. Even with the SDC backing them in terms of Dust and research, there is only so much control a single person could have. We've known that firsthand and yet I feel that the same mistake will repeat once more."

He sighs as he pulls out the leather worn journal the young hunter had given him.

"And I know you disprove of my decision to with Sibyll. You never approved of many things I have decided to do, both in our terms as Hunters as well as for this school. I only hope that you understand if you cannot find the strength to forgive me."

"I wouldn't stay here if you gave me a reason not to," she admitted. "I'll see this out to its end, even if you are just as infuriating as James. Good night headmaster."

He watched her as she left, the elevator carriage taking her away as well and leaving him alone in his office. There was still some work in need of finishing but he decided he would put them aside for now. Opening the journal, Ozpin turned to the first page.

" _The journey had been long. Many years cast aside for some fabled cure, and yet…my worst fears have been finally confirmed…"_

In another part of the academy, Cinder smiled as the information flowing into her Scroll was simply too good to be true. She watched as the young hunter moved about his work, merciless in his actions as he continued to slay the faunus that turned. The twirl of his blade as it rends life from flesh, a tenacity tamed by composure, and the sheer rawness of skill possessed by someone without aura. And _this_ is the very same person who caused the Grimm to change into such powerful beasts? His blood had created something that remained unseen to the world for such a long time, and he was just within her grasp. What she saw before her was a contingency plan against the Fang should the adverse affects of the artifact turn them into the man in the video; exempt from this "blood's" change.

The man even had the confidence and cooperation of the very Huntsman she wished to uproot from the Academy. Still, Cinder decided she would make sure this was Adam's doing and not the man's voluntary action to join Ozpin's side. That _animal_ never checked in with her as planned, as if spiting her, but it would seem he had proven himself useful. She would look into the matter thoroughly but Cinder couldn't pry her eyes from the bounty in her hands. And it would be a waste to have to send Mercury and Emerald to dispose of another useful, yet loose end if he proved to be another hurdle in her plans. She just couldn't believe that he _**actually**_ appeared and in her lifetime no less. This stranger… It was _him._

Her initial plan to use the White Fang's numbers to acquire a chalice was a means to heighten the source of her powers. Trials and errors would be necessary to single out any detrimental effects. She would then conduct the ritual herself and use said power to harness the semblances of others. Should the Vytal Festival fall underway, it would only be a matter of gathering the potential participants and tear away their power.

But now… She could have more than just an improvement of her aura. Whoever this stranger is, he would prove to be the variable necessary to attain a power the whole of Remnant had long forgotten.

She closed her scroll, and pulled out the ancient text tucked away in a locked drawer. In the end, it had proven useful long after the fact of being acquired. Opening the tome to the middle, amber eyes scanned the images of a ritual done by the vast majority of a civilization long gone. Cities burned and many bodies sacrificed to some creature or being within the background. Its form was blurred, defining details muddled over the expanse of the image as it told of a suggested enormity. The colors of ink darkened over some parts, thinning in others, but she wasn't sure just what type of creature it was modeled after.

Yet her eyes rested on the figure before the creature, standing atop the highest point of the ancient city. Below it laid the bodies of the sacrificed, red coloring the rest of the image. Cinder smiled once more, gingerly tracing her finger around the obscure figure. She would have to send Emerald and Mercury out to observe him, scout his little run down home for anything useful or substantial. The sheer thought of his arrival was a blessing she could not allow herself to waste.

"I am eager to meet you, Sibyll."

* * *

Ruby walked the halls back to her room after dinner. It had been another slow affair with the concerns of their friends still prevalent. Jaune, while worried, never bothered her ever since their talk and, like Nora, did his bet to keep the atmosphere light. Yang had settled down, becoming more focused in class but Ruby could still that sense of discomfort and unease from earlier. They had spoken very little but she would give her sister some time. Hopefully when they would retire for the night they could talk in private. She had decided to head back first, hoping the space between her and Yang would help form her thoughts, figure out what she wanted to say, and apologize. She knew her sister would always keep an eye out for her, she always had. But Ruby found it troubling how overbearing it could be when Yang becomes too persistent. Even if she was right about Sibyll, that he couldn't be trusted, Ruby would make that decision for herself (even if it was already in her sister's favor).

Yet the young reaper was still struggling over the words she had stated earlier.

She really didn't know what to think about Sibyll anymore. She believed him to be a good person, never doubting his words, and knew him to be honest. It showed in their earlier meetings and she refused to believe that he would put up a front to use her. Ruby admits too being young and maybe doesn't catch on to most things other people do. It often left her out of the loop of some things, but she is a hundred and **one** percent sure that Sibyll was simply misunderstood. If he made an effort to try and explain his side in a "not-Sibyll-like" manner, then maybe things wouldn't have turned out so tense?

Ruby rubbed her forehead, a small headache beginning to form.

" _Why do you have to be so frustrating Sibyll?"_ she thought to herself. _"You make me so mad at you to a point where I don't want to be? And why do you have to say things so cryptically!? You could have just said, 'I'm going to be borrowing Blake for a while' without making any more trouble. And why_ _ **are**_ _you doing with Blake that would take all day?"_

Ruby turned down to the corridor where their room waits, mindful of the other student passing by.

" _Alright, the next time I see you we are going to have a talk. I'll get all the answers I need and I won't let you run off."_

Ruby reached for her scroll and used it to unlock the door.

" _You better prepare yourself Sibyll,"_ she thought with a grin, _"because you're not going to get the best of me this time."_

With the door to their room unlocked, Ruby stepped in feeling confident at the prospect of seeking out Sibyll. Even if she was supposed to be suspicious of him, even if he never allowed her to get too close, Ruby Rose would get her answers one way or another. Maybe she could pick up Zwei from her Uncle Qrow and use him as an incentive to open up to her. Maybe Sibyll was a dog person and she could use the corgi's natural charm. If it worked on someone as strict as Weiss, surely it would work on someone as closed off as him, right?

"You certainly look pleasant this evening. Could it be an enjoyable dinner perhaps?"

"Mhmm!" the young reaper replies as she kicks off her shoes. "But that's not the only thing."

"Do tell."

"I'm planning on facing Sibyll head on this time. If he thinks he can just have his way with being all 'broody and mysterious', then he better think again." Ruby unclasps her cloak, carefully hanging it within her closest, and sifts through her drawers to find her sleepwear.

"…Broody?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, broody in the sense that he can be really gloomy about some things. Kinda like that Darcy guy in Weiss' books. He thinks people don't notice, but I see it sometimes. Also, it's not that thing chickens do…I think?" Ruby gave it some thought, picturing Sibyll carefully tending to a clutch of eggs. She shrugged off the image as she sat on the heiress's bed, removing her stockings one by one.

"If you do not mind my prying, what exactly is the nature of such a meeting? Hopefully it is not another scolding of some sort…"

" _That's an odd way to ask a question,"_ Ruby thought as she unbuttoned and hung her blazer. "Well… things have been really awkward between him and my team and… pretty much everyone he's ever been involved with. Maybe that's just the way he is but I think there's more to it than that. We just never really gave him enough time to explain and if we did, maybe things would be a bit better?"

She undid the vest, carefully hanging it over the bed, as her fingers drifted over the buttons over her blouse.

"Hmmm… I suppose you are right. It _is_ about time that we talk again young miss."

Ruby's hands froze, her mind finally registering the voice in her room. She had been facing away from the open space, too absorbed in her thoughts that she believed she was answering her own questions. Slowly, the young reaper turns to find Sibyll sitting on Blake's bed, book in hand, watching her. He wasn't wearing his usual grey attire. Black slacks on long legs, one crossed over the other in a leisurely manner. The collar of a white, button up shirt peeked out from beneath a leather vest, finished of with a brown long coat with white sleeves. It carried a certain collegial air about it, something to be respected or properly regarded. Aside from the difference in clothing, Ruby was more surprised by his sudden appearance and in her team's room no less.

She glanced about the space from the corner of her eyes and noticed how messy (aside from Weiss' space) it looked. Yang's clothes were strewn about, some of which were the undergarments she had yet to put away in the laundry basket. Blake's books were in various parts of the room, neatly piled up, but out of their respective spots in their bookshelves. The young reaper had been guilty of not putting away Crescent Rose's maintenance kit, the small tarp still laid out with polishes and grease.

Yet her face burned brightly as she had almost changed in front him, fingers still hovering over the third button of her blouse, revealing just a bit of her—

"Is everything alright young miss?" Sibyll called out when she remained stunned. When she had not yet answered, the young hunter carefully returned one of Blake's books to its spot and moved to stand before her. Her eyes remained locked on his as he leaned forward to inspect her. "Your complexion is flushed. Are you unwell?"

The back of his hand rested against her forehead, gauging for any irregularities before Ruby's mind blanked out. Her body moved on its own defensively, deciding to push him away as hard as she could, and screaming out in surprise. Sibyll staggered a few steps back as Ruby fell to the floor, scooting as far back as the room would allow. He was about to question such an irrational response before he noticed the poor girl carefully covering her chest.

" _Of course, how tactless could I be,"_ Sibyll scolded in his thoughts. He moved to bend down to the young girl, extending a hand while doing so. "I apologize for the surprise intrusion Ruby. I simply assumed you were aware of my presence the moment you entered. Please, allow me to help you up."

"H-How did you get in here!? _Why_ are you here?" the young girl countered.

"Well, I came by to drop off—"

The door to their room snapped open, the wooden frame creaking defiantly against the exerted force. Standing in the doorway was Yang, hair alight and eyes turned crimson as she scanned the room. She found her sister on the floor, half changed and startled, as well as Sibyll kneeling before her. Teeth ground against each other at the sight of him, fist clenched and poised for action had the heiress not beat her to it.

"What exactly is the meaning of this!?" Weiss yelled as she stepped in front of Yang. Damage control would need to be done before any of it would be committed, in _their_ room no less, but she would be indignant about it at least. Sibyll helped Ruby to her feet before turning to the heiress and brawler, hands held up in surrender.

"As I was about to explain to Miss Rose," Ruby noted the change in his address of her, "I am only here to return Miss Belladonna to you. I deemed the first part of her training complete and have brought her back by nightfall as promised."

"And where exactly _is_ she?" Weiss countered, keeping the Myrtenaster in her periphery.

"She needed a moment to compose herself in your en suite comfort room. The journey, though, had left her disoriented and in need of acclimation. She should be out in a few moments. I decided to wait in your room until she was finished but was surprised by Miss Rose's appearance; likewise for her with mine." Sibyll glanced at Ruby who instinctively shrunk away next to her team away before continuing. "Yet I believe we should discuss the arrangements for Miss Belladonna's workshop studies."

"You're hosting seminars now?" Sarcasm hung on every word as Yang slowly closed the door behind them, trapping Sibyll in their room. She knew the only other exit would be the balcony window as the drop would be high enough to cripple him temporarily. Catching onto her insincerity, Sibyll sighs as he folds his hands behind his back.

"Miss Belladonna has yet to undergo the full extent of her Hunter training. Granted, she is sufficient enough with evasion but it is not enough if she wishes to return to the field. There are concepts and theories which need study and explaining. There is also the basics of smithing and crafting of ammunition. Then there is the most important aspect of offense and counter-offensive tactics. Much work is yet to be done and time is of the essence."

"All of those lessons are provided here at Beacon, taught by certified professors doubling as licensed Huntsmen and Huntresses. What could you possibly teach her that the staff can't?"

"How to hunt down the afflicted."

It had been a snap response, prompt in the delivery and taking the girls by surprise. Sibyll never hesitated, as if expecting such a rudimentary question, nor was he surprised when their expressions shifted from shock to revulsion. It did not deter him from explaining further, deciding it was necessary for them to try and understand.

"Your academy prides itself on honing young potentials into becoming skillful Hunters of beasts, but not of men. As far as I have been told, you spar against one another but that does not mean you are ready to stand against those who are violent by nature."

"We've had our fair share of fights," Yang angrily stated. "And we don't need to resort to killing in order to stop someone, unlike you."

"Idealistically, you would be in the right Miss Xiao Long. Yet you can only quell a threat for so long. Lock it away in your deepest dungeon, disarm it, and hope that your measures of security are enough to subdue it. Essentially, that is the very reason I am here. I am the one that stands between your kingdoms and the ones who wish to use plague against your peoples. If I am successful, you will never have to face such a terrorizing sight."

Sibyll moved forward to stand in front of Yang, his height tall enough to stare down into her lilac eyes.

"But there is no such thing as resolute protection," he warns. "It will break free of its bonds and it will be up to me to strike it down before it can escape. If it does… every single living person will be in jeopardy of becoming what you witnessed in Addersfield. By then, it would be too late to do anything other than reduce the numbers."

Yang took a step forward, tilting her head just inches away from his face as her eyes shifted to red.

"You can bet that we won't allow that to happen. And there's no way we'll let her turn out like **you**."

Silence hung between them as they watched one another. The brawler wouldn't dare allow him to corrupt her partner, not if it would be the very last thing she would do. Her hands formed into a tight fist, willing to drive the point home until she found him smiling at her. The hardened expression he wore softened, as he took a step back and straightened his shoulders.

"Your partner portrayed you quite accurately," Sibyll praised her. "Despite your bothersome antagonizing qualities, I can see why she places her complete trust in you. Such tenacity and confidence are all redeeming qualities of a true Hunter. You place a great deal of faith in your friends and your sense of morality. I only wish you do not allow it to… 'get to your head' I believe the phrase is put."

The door to the bathroom opened, all eyes collectively turning.

"How do you feel young miss?" Sibyll asked.

Ruby, Weiss, and Yang saw Blake step out from their en suite bathroom to find almost another person entirely. It was still their teammate; the same amber colored eyes, raven colored hair, pale complexion, and the familiarly neutral expression. Yet she dressed differently, identically to Sibyll in his usual attire. A thick, brown leather vest hugged her chest, secured tightly with straps with a buttoned shirt underneath. A thick cloth wrapped around her neck, snug, and the same grey long coat hung about her with a leather harness draped across her torso. Leather gloves placed over the sleeves of her coat with metal bracers acting as a defense. The same grey leather pants with knee high leather boots, sporting a sense of stability and security. In a way, Blake appeared to be a splitting image of Sibyll with the attire and the old-fashioned style of dress.

"It's strange being back after so long," the girl responds as she finds her teammates staring at her in surprise. They noticed the faraway looks in her eyes, as if seeing them after such a long absence.

"Blake, you're back," Ruby spoke.

"Yeah… I'm sorry I took so long," she apologized.

There was weight coming against her as she felt Ruby's arms hugging her tightly. Blake returned the gesture, still feeling a lingering guilt in shutting out her friends. She glanced over at Weiss and Yang who watched her with a small sense of relief, knowing that she was at least out medical confinement.

"Is everything… okay now?" the young reaper tentatively asked.

"I think so. It's just really great to see you girls again."

"Where exactly did you _go_?" Weiss decided to ask, find it strange that Blake would act as if she had been absent for many years.

"Would you think it true if I told you the Hunter's Dream exists outside the material plane?"

The heiress shot Sibyll a look and in turn he to steps down.

"It's a long story," Blake explained. "I'll share as much as I can but for now…" She turns to the young hunter. "I think you should leave. You promised to give me my space when we returned and I'm calling that in now."

"Of course Miss Belladonna. I remind you that I have taken the liberty of stowing away your supplies beneath your bed should you need them. Keep a sedative on you at all times, remember your evasion training, keep the vials out of sight, and use them sparingly. I expect your return as soon as you can."

"Alright, alright, I got it. Now go and do what you need to do."

The young hunter nodded, taking up his bag and made his way to the door before stopping.

"Ah, before I forget." Sibyll looked around the room in search of something. Before any of them could ask, the young hunter snapped his fingers while focusing on Blake's bed. Nothing followed, but Ruby, Weiss, and Yang noticed Blake becoming agitated by something from the same direction.

"You have yet to accept your gifts from the Messengers Miss Belladonna," Sibyll added as he turned to her. "It would be rude to turn away such a gesture, especially from ones whose role is to support you devotedly."

"If I accept it, will they finally go away and leave me alone?"

"Oh… If you certainly feel that way, then I suppose so. They will undoubtedly come when called but to refuse such help would be unwise. Granted, I too was skeptical of them but they certainly have their charms."

"Looking like _that_? I don't think so…"

"Miss Belladonna!" Sibyll cried as he moved toward the bed, reaching down to gingerly… pet nothing as his looked incredulously at the raven haired girl. "I would not think you would pass such harsh judgment over something as superficial as appearances. They may not be visually appealing but these creatures have served every Hunter the Dream calls with sincerity and promptness. The little ones under my care saved my life on several occasions thus far."

He snaps his fingers once more and reaches out to another part of the bed. He waits briefly before standing up right, turning to look from one shoulder to another.

"You're not at all bothered by them?" Blake asked as she inched away from the young hunter.

"Never. In a way, I see them as children untainted by the creatures outside the Dream. Children in need of names…" he mused to himself. "In any case, do try your best to work alongside them. Maybe your impression of them will improve?"

"Hopefully it'll be MUCH better than the one I have of you."

Sibyll raised his brow, unoffended yet unamused.

"If you only knew how much that wounds me, miss," he answered lazily. Sibyll turns to leave as Weiss and Ruby step aside to see him through. Yang remains positioned in front of the door, arms crossed and hips cocked.

"Leaving so soon?" she challenged.

Sibyll looked to Ruby and Weiss for help and found none.

"I was under the notion that I am not accepted here?" he asked, unsure about the divided feelings of bitterness and distrust. "I kept my promises and agree with discussing Miss Belladonna's situation another time. If you would be so kind…"

The brawler carefully regarded him before stepping aside. He gave them all each a brief look, resting just a bit longer on Ruby.

"I look forward to our discussion young miss," he spoke. "Hopefully we can include the rest your team, and possibly clear the air between us. Good night."

Ruby watched him leave, the door carefully closed behind him. He was presenting her with an opportunity to voice her concern, address him head one once more. She felt that it would be the only chance to try and change his mind… or was that really the case? Weiss remained resolute about some things yet she continued to remain friends with her, even if they weren't best friends yet. But like Weiss, the Ruby felt that it was much more than that. Sibyll's expression fell a bit when he confirmed everyone's refusal of him and the worst part being that he accepted it all. Even if her sister was adamant about distrusting him, he allowed her words to wash over him. It was as if he was used to such cold receptions, all of it taken in stride.

"Where did he take you Blake?" Yang asked, directing all their attention back to her partner.

"To be honest, I don't really know," she responded, gripping her arms tightly. "It all happened so quickly when he… took me there. One moment I'm blacking out, and in another I'm waking up somewhere that doesn't make sense. And I can somewhat understand why it's called 'the Hunter's _Dream_ '. There's no place like it from what we've seen or know."

"But taking you for the whole day for some obscure training in some weird place?" Weiss added.

Blake gave them a strange look, and moved to her desk where her teammates had placed her retrieved scroll. Unlocking it, she found that a single day had truly passed.

"I've only been gone for that long? But that can't be… It must have much longer than that, maybe weeks at best?"

"Whoa, slow down there. What do you mean by ' _weeks at best_ '? I mean, you disappeared just this morning. You can't have been missing for weeks if Sun found you leaving the medical ward with the headmaster," Yang concluded.

"The only thing that we did know is that you were with Sibyll and that's it," Ruby added. "So what exactly is this Hunter's Dream?"

Blake knew it would be difficult to try and explain where she had been. The Dream didn't feel real but the pain from her training with Sibyll said otherwise. She never felt any sense of hunger, thirst, or need to sleep. He would allow her brief moments of rest when she tired but her body's physical wants and needs were nonexistent. She found it disorienting having spent such a great amount of time in that place and the travel back through the headstones left discomfort in her core.

"Technically, Sibyll is right when he said that it doesn't exist in our world." She took an unused notebook from her desk, opening it to a random page and began to sketch a rudimentary layout of the dream.

"There's this small plot of land with a building, his workshop, and we're somewhere high above. It's high enough where the space below us is covered by an expanse of clouds. Then there are these pillars in the distance. Maybe there are other places like this one but even he doesn't know. Other than that, the space around the building has these headstones along the pathways. They're blank but the ones in the field we trained in have names on them. Apparently, they're the names of Hunters who completed their contracts and allowed to leave."

" _Allowed?_ " Ruby asked.

"It's the only way I can describe it because…" Blake hesitated as her tip of her pencil came to a stop. All the details were the there in drawn form, especially the unbroken moon. "I can't die."

She turned to face her teammates, the weight of her words sinking in.

"There is no way that is true," the heiress tried to deny.

"Weiss, he **killed** me in order to get me there, yet here I am. I'm still living and breathing as if it never happened. There's nothing like that place on any of the maps we've seen and then there's this." She pointed to the full moon in the drawing.

"But Remnant's moon has always been broken as far as anyone could remember," the young reaper noted.

"I thought the same thing too. Which is why that place doesn't make any sense, and with the things that have been happening lately, even Ozpin confirmed it himself. At the heart of it all, I'm exactly like Sibyll down to biological level. I felt my body slip away and then found myself over there. And whenever I get hurt, I feel the full brunt of every strike, every cut, and it can only be mended if I take the blood of others… There's something in my blood and it… it's the thing that changed me. It's the reason I lost my aura and became so vulnerable."

"We can bring it back though," Ruby adamantly stated. "We haven't given up on that and we just need to find a way. Maybe something really old or, or-!"

"I know Ruby," Blake responded. She placed a hand on the young girl's shoulder. "You all have been trying hard on my behalf and I haven't given up either. If there's a way to restore the things I've lost, then we just need to find it. Until then, I just have to continue with Sibyll's training to cope with what I am now."

Ruby and Weiss gave her a skeptical look, and before they could protest she interjected.

"It's true that he's keen on having me learn the ways of hunting down the sick. During our time in the Dream we would argue about it, and there are still some things about his methods I can't morally agree with. But he's shown just how weak I am without my aura and semblance… I can't fight like I used to and my over dependency on it had made me slack without it."

"We can cover you if we need to," Weiss stated. Blake shook her head.

"That would leave us at a tactical disadvantage. At best, I can act as a temporary defense for either you or Ruby, but you're both capable of quick mobility and evasion. I don't have the luxury anymore on the battlefield. Having either of you girls stuck with me would only cut down our versatility. But training under someone who's comfortable fighting without aura should help me to some degree in getting back out there. It'll only be harder with the handicap."

Blake sighs as she looks at Weiss and Ruby respectively.

"Until we are able to solve, I'll still be in need of what he knows. Hopefully, we'll get our answers from him as well and stop whatever it is that may be coming our way. I need your support now more than ever. Yours too, Yang."

When there was no response, Blake looked over the young reaper's shoulder over to her partner.

"Yang?"

She had remained silent throughout the exchange, her eyes fixed on the drawing in the notebook. A full moon, untouched by time, hangs within an empty page.

"No." she finally spoke.

Blake frowns at the answer she didn't expect.

"What do you—"

"We are **not** letting you go anywhere near him," the brawler responds as she pulls out her scroll. Searching through her contacts, she found a number intentionally unlabeled and called. It would be a while before _she_ would pick up, but Yang had been warned of it long before.

"Yang, I don't like it any more than you do but I need his help."

"We can help you on our own. We never needed someone like him before, and we won't need him now."

Blake moved past Weiss and Ruby to stand directly in front of her partner.

"Are you even listening to yourself? Of course we need him now, _especially_ now. Not only because of what he knows, but of the help he could provide for me. And you want me to throw that away for some personal stake against him?"

"It's more than that Blake!"

"Then what!?" she shouts. "What is it that you could possibly justify turning him away now!?"

"HE SHOULDN'T EVEN BE ALIVE!"

Blake faltered slightly under Yang's thunderous roar. The brawler had always been stern and serious when necessary, and she had experienced that first hand during her obsession with her search for answers. Those furious red eyes had glared at her out of concern and once more out of a different kind of worry.

"He doesn't **belong** here or anywhere else! I'd never thought I'd believe it for myself, but people like _him_ can't physically **be** here. The fact that he **is** means that he's the biggest threat we have to worry about now. We've seen what he's done and what he can do. I didn't think it was possible nor did I want to believe it was possible. But I can't allow him to hurt us anymore than he already has."

The scroll's dial ends and a woman's voice answers."

"Yang."

"You were right," the brawler answers, "and things have gotten worse."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. Blake," Yang looks to her before returning to the call, "my partner was the one it happened to and she's seen it herself. He's somewhere around here if Ozpin just allowed him to take her there and he might just stay here until we do something about it."

"I've seen the place he's staying at, but why wait until now to let me know? Why not before?"

"You think it's easy to just take what you said as truth? You've been gone for **years,** and when you do show up, you're saying things any sane person wouldn't believe. But when I finally realized it, it's already too late. He's here **now** and I… I need you here."

"…Give me a few moments."

The call ends and Yang turns to find the rest of her team watching her.

"Who was that?" Ruby asked her. She knew her sister often had sources in shady places. She found Yang leaving a club in the shadier parts of the city once.

"She's been searching for someone like Sibyll for a while. At least, that's what I got from it when we met."

"But _who_ is she?" Weiss asked once more.

In the open space of the room, energy began to accumulate and build into a swirling, red and black portal. Weiss, Ruby, and Blake stepped back as it began to glow brighter as a woman stepped through. She was dressed in a battle kimono of a similar color scheme, armed with a blade sheathed in a multi-dust barreled sheath, and donning a Grimm accented mask. Weiss instinctively reached for Myrtenaster and Ruby took a defensive position in front of Blake. Yang remained unfazed by the woman's sudden appearance or the fading portal behind her.

The woman looked about the room, her eyes stopping briefly on Ruby before fully studying the former faunus girl.

"Is that her? The one in grey?" the woman asked.

"Yeah…" Yang answered.

The masked newcomer took a few steps forward, stopping just close enough to study Blake's features, and slowly took off her mask. She was the splitting image of Yang, albeit a bit taller and looking more mature. Her long, wild hair was black, yet her crimson colored eyes were identical Yang's.

"The man who did this to you," she addressed Blake, "did he happen to have an old tome with him? Anything resembling an ancient text with archaic depictions of the old civilizations?"

"Not that I know of, no," Blake responds.

Her eyes looked over the girl once more.

"This isn't good," the woman finally stated. She turns to Yang, her expression hardening while doing so. "If he doesn't have it on him, then it means someone else is in possession of it. Whoever they are, they killed the previous owner and are the reason why my search hasn't come to an end."

"Whatever makes you feel better," the brawler responds as she crosses her arms. The woman doesn't react but turns back to the three girls as Ruby coughs nervously into her hand.

"Um, are you a friend of Yang's?" the young reaper asks.

"Something like that," the woman responds. "My name is Raven, but more importantly; who exactly is this Sibyll person and how did he do _that_ to your teammate?"

* * *

Chisa crept around the camp, careful not to wake any of the other sleeping occupants or alert anyone keeping an eye on refugees like her. She couldn't sleep as the nightmares and worries made her restless. The people looking after them had been nice enough but the young girl still worried overt her absent father. He was still back in town with the others, people she knew acting weird and mean to each other. Some days had passed since she arrived at this new place, and while the other adults took are of her… she still longed for her father's returns. Even now, she was struggling with trying to understand why he made her leave him behind. They never left the village any farther than a few neighboring towns and this place was scary. All the hushed and angry voices, some parents and children crying, and they often talked about Sibyll.

" _Sibyll,"_ she prayed with her heart.

She hadn't seen him since then and she only hoped he had helped her father escape as well.

The young girl made it out of the immediate area of the camp and began to wander the campus, her eyes unhindered by the darkness. She didn't know where she was going but she felt uneasy without being with someone familiar. The older kids, the ones in uniforms had disappeared to maybe sleep like she was supposed to. A stray breeze passed and she reflexively held herself tight. Her clothes were too thin and she found herself wishing for something warmer. Something like home and her bed and her father's hot chocolate and…

She stumbled back as she accidentally bumped into someone. When she looked up, she found a large boy towering over her wearing metal armor similar to ones she saw in books; a bird colored on his chest plate. His face was broad, brownish hair cleanly cut as he wore a sneer on his face.

"Watch where you're going brat," he said, blaming the infraction on her. Her blue ears flattened against her head, shrinking at his loud voice.

"I-I-I'm s…s-sorry…" she struggled to say. She heard him huff his breath before the towering figure moved around her. He was muttering something under his breath, words she didn't understand but felt was mean. Tears welled up in her eyes as she remained in her spot.

"I want to go home…" she whimpered as her voice choked slightly on shard breaths.

"Chisa?" another voice spoke. She looked up to find Sibyll turning around the corner of a building, dressed differently than she remembered him. The weight in her chest eased slightly as she ran to him, wrapping her arms around his legs and hugged as tightly as she could. He had bent down to return her embrace, squeezing hard for reassurance.

"Where have you been? Where's papa?"

She could feel his body tense at her inquiry, slowly pulling away too look at her.

"I have been busy taking care of a few things. I made sure that your home was free of any threat and your village can return back home."

"But what about papa?" she insisted. Again, she saw how tightly his shoulders became. He pulled away from her, and began searching through his bag. Finding what the items in questions, he pulled them out and handed the small clutch of photos to her.

"I was not able to salvage as much I would have liked, but I did grab these. They are something to remember your father and mother by when… when you…"

He was stumbling on his words, his brow making the same scrunched up form when Chisa found him thinking about something.

"Sibyll?"

He placed his hands on both of her shoulders.

"Your father did not make it, little one."

"I don't… I don't know what means. He didn't make it here? Where is he? Did he get lost or-"

"He died protecting your home."

Chisa's heart suddenly froze, unsure of why the feeling was familiar to her. The words were lost to her, no matter how hard she tried to speak them. There was an ache in her chest, a hurt she couldn't describe.

 _Died? Like mom?_

"His efforts were brave and he protected places like this by staying behind. When I came back, he was already gone. I am truly sorry Chisa, but your father… He is not coming."

 _Not coming? But… he's supposed to_.

"I promised your father that I would find you someplace safe to stay. If necessary, I can talk to the headmaster on your behalf so you will not be alone."

 _I'm… going to be alone_ _again…_

"You should not have to handle such grief on your own. Hopefully someone from your village can care for you in your father's stead.

 _Papa isn't coming home…_

"I… I understand if you are angry or hurt little one. Please, forgive me for not being able to save him or protect your home from what I should have prevented."

 _No one is coming home…_

"Chisa."

"NO!"

She pushed away the hand reaching out to her, the pain in her chest becoming sharper. The world went blurry, her head heavy with something that wasn't there. Short quick breaths filled her lungs as she backed away from him.

"Go away!" she yelled as she took several steps back. "Go away, go away, go away, go away, go away, go away, go away, go away!"

Over and over she repeated those words as she turned to run back into camp. Even as she entered the perimeter, her voice cracked with those words, raspy and scratchy as he climbed into her cot. She held the photos close to her, chanting the in hopes that she wakes up from her bad dream.

Sibyll remained in place, even after Chisa had rebuffed his efforts of consolations. Of course she would be angry with him, blame him, hate him. In a sense, he killed her father and many others whose families have broken over the attack. What sort of child wouldn't blame the bearer of such bad news for their newfound misfortune? The young hunter looks at his hand, unsure of the bloodstains on him were a figmented reminder of his actions in Yharnam or of the lives he had taken in this other world. His mind ached and there was nothing more he could say or do for the little girl.

Slowly he stood and began his retreat into the Emerald Forest to lick his wounds or deepen them.

* * *

Adam arrived at the mouth of the underground cavern. It took him some time to return, needing to rest more than usual as his work in Addersfield had taken its toll. He had to ensure the town's other gates were just as equally sealed and the swarming mobs never made it easy. The father of the young girl with blue hair had drawn their attention away from him after the second gate, but the man never returned afterward. The faunus assumed the worse had transpired and continued with the remaining gate before his trek back.

The whole ordeal garnered enough casualties to cause some concerns among the nearby villages he passed, and speculation was beginning to form. That would be their problem to deal with as the faunas has more to deal with.

Slowly he entered the cave, finding an unusual amount of the new recruits bedridden on their cots. A few were tending to them, wiping away sweat, taking temperatures, rinse and repeat.

"What's going on here? What happened?" he asked a nearby member.

"The expedition leader found what we were looking for, sir," the recruit answered. "When they did, some of us were sent in after them only to be sent back. They always turn out like this but orders from the higher ups demand that we go into the depths in shifts."

" _In shifts? Why would they want them to go into the depths if they're clearly sick?_ " Adam thought as he looked around the area once more."

"A-And we were told to inform you of the same thing: they want you go to below and speak with the expedition leader, sir. They wanted you to… _'have the honor'_ of receiving it first."

"Receive **what**?" the bull faunus asked, a snarl creeping into his voice.

"I honestly don't know sir," the recruit answered as she shifted in her spot. The weight of the supplies in her hand tilted toward on side. "Information has been vague as best, but they stressed that everyone go below when free to do so. Otherwise, we're in trouble…"

Adam noted how the unsual shifts in their objectives. Weren't they supposed to report anything found to Cinder? While he never expressly liked the witch, he knew that crossing her would be a fatal misstep. She was adamant that they cooperate with her in this search for alternative powers. And would she really allow them to handle and hand over anything they found to her? Why give them a mission to enhance their natural abilities and expect them to honor their end? The Fang and its leaders could just as easily cross them if they decided to use it for themselves.

If Sibyll was correct in his assumptions of her goals, then there's something more to it than just granting them a boost in their power. The young hunter warned him of what they may find in the labyrinth below and advised to leave it well alone or destroy it on his behalf.

Adam couldn't discredit the symptoms his recruits and compatriots carried and how similar it was to the woman and body he found. The violence and physical changes couldn't be the path to their power. If it truly was, what point would there be in attaining it if one wasn't healthy enough to use it? He didn't like the idea of what lay in store, yet he moved to go deeper into the levels below. He needed to see for himself just what exactly was affecting his people. Perhaps it carried the answers necessary to dissuade the White Fang leaders to disband from Cinder's arrangement for their liberation.

The faunus made his in the space beyond the carved walls, following the stone hallways to where two other recruits stood guard by a metal lift. As he approached, he could smell the fever washing over them as well, their breaths strained, and hearts beating at a quickened pace. They saluted in his presence and motioned for him to step in the middle of the square panel. Adam stopped at the center as it sunk slightly, and, as the chains began to move, he descended into the darkened depths.

* * *

 **A/N: The plot moves forward into the second phase and I really hope I didn't let any of you down. Granted, I've been pretty lax in the horror/supernatural aspect of Bloodborne but I promise you it is certainly coming. This chapter was a bit difficult to write as I tried to really focus pushing the Vytal Festival forward (I mean, it was postponed for a month!) and for all sides to finally make their move. I'm still working on the editing of the previous chapters, but with each Volume 3 episode that comes out... I just feel the need to write the next chapter. Well, until next time dear readers!**


	14. Mutually Assured

**A/N: Finally beat The Old Hunters DLC and I really enjoyed it. While it may be the only one for Bloodborne, I felt that it was enough for what it was and that the ambiguity of the lore remained in tact. As for the recent RWBY Vol. 3 plot reveal? I surprised that I have mixed feelings. I won't spoil anything but I will wait until more of the story unfolds before I form my thoughts. In any case, the Vytal Festival arc is now upon us and everyone is gathered in Vale for when things really start to hit the fan.**

 **As an additional note, if any of you are interested in updating or adding to the TV Tropes RWBY FanFic Rec page for this story (thanks again Fabuzer for starting it), please feel free to do so! Let me know how it goes and if you ever need clarifications on some of the tropes, let me know. I even researched a few of my own but have no knowledge of how to do it myself.**

 **Final side note, I'll be addressing some concerns some of you have over Yang's role at the end of this chapter.**

 **With that being said, I hope you enjoy the latest installment for this story. Enjoy!**

* * *

The lift had taken its time for the journey down, leaving Adam to question just how deep the caverns went. It was unusual for such a place be hidden so deep underground, intentionally obscured by its progenitors, and yet the contraptions left behind still worked. Even as the darkness enveloped him, his eyes noticed just how carefully the rock around him had been carefully carved. The descent began to decelerate, coming to a stop at the opening of a hallway. He stepped out carefully, following the path at a cautious pace with his hands resting tentatively on his weapon.

Adam felt as if there was something amiss about structure of the underground. Having been several hundred feet down, it was disconcerting to see how such hallways were carved and constructed to have high ceilings. There were no supports or beams to prevent the upper portion of rock from falling should any quake or force disturb it. The spaciousness left him feeling more vulnerable than secure, questioning why such architects would give such wide berths for a singular path. Had he led the expedition himself, Adam would have been able to take three squads of eight members and still have enough room for them to move about freely. If such a design accommodated such a large group, why hide it behind such secure walls?

He looked at the overgrowth of roots across the walls; thick, tendril veins creeping out of the crevices of rock and wrapping around the various statues or carved inlays of the walls. Perhaps they were closer to the surface than they originally thought? No… the entrance to cavern's opening was well underground as it is, yet to go deeper and _still_ find roots?

And there was a strange glow to the place, emanating from the underground plant life and the candles resting in their hanging braziers. He didn't think the expedition leader would order the recruits to light them if they could naturally adjust to the darkness. If so… who had lit them? Or had they already been lit to begin with? Adam paused, moving to inspect one of the candles and found their wax unaffected by the light. The wick which carried the light burned, but without heat. Reaching out, his gloved fingers flicked over the flames, finding no sense of discomfort from the ethereal light.

" _How is that—?"_

"Taurus."

Adam turned to find the leader walking towards him, his voice echoing off the walls. His large physique shown through the fabric and armor adorning his body, and sleeveless tanned arms bore his tattoo. While his face was wholly obscured by a Grimm styled mask, Adam could feel the sense of satisfaction rolling off the man. He knew the man had been involved with the breach of Vale, and he had been responsible for saving any survivors left in the aftermath. While furious of having missed a chance of killing a Schnee, he had been honorable in protecting the recruits and older members while trapped in the forgotten substation. Adam's eyes glanced at the handle of a great chainsaw peeking out over broad shoulders. The White Fang lieutenant stopped before him,

"It's about time you returned," he spoke. "The higher ups wanted to wait for you in order to share the good news. It wouldn't do to finish without you."

"Finish what?" Adam asks curtly.

"Celebrating our new found power, dear brother!"

The red haired faunus resisted his reflexive shiver at the man's overly-familiar eagerness. It wasn't unusual for recruits to try and earn the favors of their superiors, but there was a degree of restraint which promptly followed. They were fighting for their freedom, fighting against the very people who would much rather see them as slaves and property than equals. It was a philosophy which fueled Adam for years, after the bitter resentment with making little process. They would be efficient and swift in bringing about their freedom, and they would give their people what was justly deserved long after the Great Wars. But it was members like the lieutenant before him that made him uneasy, devoting themselves too deeply to the violence of their movement. While Adam spared no human standing in the way of their movement, he never went so far as to make a game of their deaths.

He had heard and read the reports regarding the lieutenant's missions in the other kingdoms. While acting as the muscle to protect smaller, outlying towns and a recruiter, the man doubled a blade for hire against the human populous. Dirty politicians, bandits, vagrants, or those who simply refuse to serve anyone of their kind; the lieutenant would make a point to remind them of their "inherent weakness". The resulting mess would often make their way back to the Hunter's Association but by then the fun was had. Adam had come across him once by chance, reapplying a dark ink to his tattoo and the man referred to it as "sating the beast." It was only until after the fact did he learn that the "ink" used would be the blood of the humans slain.

"Come! The chamber is just a ways ahead and you'll be given the honor of such greatness in the presence of your brothers and sisters."

The man guided Adam down the hall, forcing the red haired faunus to follow after.

"To think the kingdoms would hide such a history from us, probably saving it for themselves should they need to keep us down," the lieutenant spoke. "Morale has been considerably low, as I'm sure you're aware, and we even had to deal with deserters; pathetic whelps without the backbone to stand up for themselves or others. Can't have such weakness holding us back… But now we have a way to sort out the 'uncommitted' from the rest of us."

Adam paused, carefully looking at the lieutenant next to him.

"What are you talking about?" he worded carefully.

The man chuckles to himself before addressing the swordsman.

"This power we found," he began, "is not for everyone to have. When we had a few of the members decipher what this 'artifact' was meant to do, the higher ups decided a few of the new recruits should have the 'privilege' of testing their loyalty to us. Not many succeeded, but those who did…"

The lieutenant chuckled darkly once more.

"Let's just say they are having their fill in the lower levels."

The phrasing itself was not what set Adam on edge, nor was it the selective implication of this "method" used on the other members. In the back of his mind, he could hear Sibyll's warning regarding what his organization was after. The transparent image of his face remained, shifting from the amicably bothersome stranger trying to mediate between him and his former partner's associate to a gravely serious young man carrying an underlying threat.

" _Understand this: if your people prove successful in acquiring what they have been tasked with, you must destroy it immediately. Under no circumstance should they use any of the chalices or preserved blood they find. I cannot say for sure what will become of them, but they will undoubtedly wish for a merciful death. If it is not by my blade, then it_ _ **must**_ _yours. Fear the old blood Mister Taurus. By the gods of my world and yours,_ _ **fear it**_ _."_

"What does this 'ritual' entail?" Adam asked, assuming the worse had already transpired.

"Ah, did someone spoil it for you?" The red haired swordsman waited. "Leave it to the rookies to have loose lips... In any case, it requires us to consume small amounts this preserve blood. Think about it: something so difficult to preserve beyond ten years is found to be in pristine condition after so long. And in it lies the source of our people's powers?"

The lieutenant gestured back to the carvings on the wall. It depicted faunus figures changing into a larger former, the accents of their animal heritage becoming more pronounced. Ears and tails longer, hair becoming wilder, body leaner, and collectively, they showed a prominence in hunting down the Grimm of old.

"The higher ups thought it was strange to order most of our forces underground, as tucking out tails between our legs in surrender. It is even stranger that this Cinder woman gave us full reign in our order to search for something important to her. But now that we know, I believe the leaders are in agreement of overtaking the discovery for ourselves. Even if the results are selective in our favor."

The winding corridor comes to an end with two White Fang members standing guard. Upon their arrival, they saluted, remaining in form after their departure. They were met with a darkened room, cobblestone pillars holding up the now lowered ceiling, having various paths set in separate directions.

"This way. Oh, and mind the bodies."

Just as he spoke, the lieutenant stepped over a large, yet thin mass slumped on the floor. Its skin had paled from the lack of natural lighting, verging on a becoming white. Rags wrapped and clung to the body, wholly malnourished by the by tightly the skin was pulled against a skeletal frame. Patches of mangy fur here and here, but its eyes...

Adam bent down to observe further, noting just how tightly the rags wrapped out the head. Acting like a second skin, it was taut and immovable despite how his fingers carefully tugged at the edges. Yet it was the hollowness of the eye socket, sunken to a point there may be none at all. Vertical marks on the cheeks told of repetitive, self-inflicted wounds. Whatever it was, it made a habit of clawing away at the muscles beneath the eyes.

"No one anticipated anything surviving down here," the lieutenant spoke up. "A few of them goaded a few recruits into traps, ambushing us out of unseen corners, or simply throwing projectiles. Hell, we lost one today from a nasty fall into another level. Nothing we could do about it then as they set upon the unlucky girl. Best we could do was torch them and move on."

"You left her body behind?" Adam questioned.

The lieutenant paused, his masked face turning to the swordsman.

"We can't recover every single body lost in a battle. You know this Taurus, but I wouldn't think you've gone soft in your absence."

Adam moved swiftly, firing off Wilt from its sheath and landing a blow on the lieutenant's midsection. As he doubled over, gripping his stomach tightly, the swordsman used the man's body to flip his body over. The lieutenant fell to the stone floor, his weapon bearing the brunt of the impact and by the time he looked up, found a sharpened blade at his neck.

"You may have proven yourself useful on a few occasions but know your place. Challenge my authority again and I'll have more than enough to cut you down without a second thought. I don't know why our leaders would tolerate your volatile methods, but I won't permit it under my presence."

"Coming from the Bloody Beast himself?" the lieutenant answer back.

The tip of the blade pressed forward, threatening to tear past the aura and muscle.

"I didn't get that name from just cutting down humans. Now, are we clear about your position?"

Adam heard the man let out a struggle breath, holding back an exhale in fear of blade poised over his throat. The large man clenched his fists, before giving a slight nod of affirmation. In a single, fluid motion Wilt and Blush were joined once more. The lieutenant tentatively rubbed his neck before helping himself off the floor. With a grunt, he motioned for Adam to follow once again into another hallway, a trail of corpses greeting them with each step.

They continued their journey, descending stairs at the end of the path and facing the final hallway leading to ornate, golden doors.

"Come, and see it for yourself," the lieutenant spoke as he pushed against the heavy doors.

It opened into a large, circular room with stone archways and an elevated altar in the center with a kneeling recruit before another member. A golden chalice, filled with a crimson substance, was being tipped into the mouth of the recruit, a struggled gurgled against the viscous liquid. She swallowed, the corners of her mouth stained red before pushing away the chalice and fall to the floor, clutching tightly at her stomach as her body rolled off the altar to join the many others writhing on the ground. Their collective, painful moans filled room; a symphony of suffering that could not be eased. Adam moved to inspect them, find them in a feverish and delusional state. Some of them shook violently, a foreign force wracking their bodies in unnatural angles and tearing the muscles beneath the skin.

"What is the meaning of this?" Adam questioned the lieutenant as he watched.

"This is their trial. Should they survive, they will have access to the greatest power know to Faunus kind. They will taste what our ancestors have become and their strength becomes ours."

"And what about the ones who 'fail'?"

"We have a place for them too. It would be a waste to discard able bodies."

Before he could speak against the man, Adam heard a shrill cry from the female recruit. He moved to kneel next to her, trying to hold down her thrashing body as her limbs flailed about. The antlers protruding from beneath her cowl began to change, becoming larger and having their spiked tips curled and jagged. He could hear her heart beating at an alarming rate, and her limbs stretching to compensate for the shifting muscles. She grabbed at her throat, hoping to scream off the pain she underwent until becoming still. He bent down to find her breath barely audible, her heart drumming against its cage until stopping completely.

He placed his hands in the center of her chest, pumping away at the still organ in an effort to will it back to life. The woman's body remained still. He began to gather his aura into his hand, preparing to surge it into the woman's heart before his body recoiled from the contact.

A biting cold had ensnared his heart, phantom like spikes driving itself through the center and the swordsman found that he couldn't breathe. He strained for his lungs to work, finding it unresponsive to his want. He was drowning until he felt the woman's hand grab him by the collar and pushed him away with great force. His body crashed against many others, the impact shocking his lungs back into form. Adam returned his eyes to the woman who slowly stood, carefully removing her mask and cowl, and letting loose her short brown hair. Even from a distance, he could see that her body had changed; she become much leaner as the uniform hung loosely on her, her horns much deadlier, and her body popped and crack dangerously as she stretched her newly formed limbs.

"Amazing, is it not?" the lieutenant asked.

Slowly, one by one, the White Fang members began to stand. Each of them worked out the kinks of their body, as if the pain they felt was nonexistent. In doing so, Adam saw the full extent of the ritual…and the consequences of those being left behind. The ones remaining on the floor continued to suffer, their bodies continuing to shake as they were hauled off back toward the underground entrance.

"Brothers and sisters!" the lieutenant called out. All eyes turned to him, carrying some form of satisfaction Adam could not understand.

"You all have succeeded in your test of loyalty! Now, you will bear fruit to the power that was promised to us! No longer will humanity look down upon us as the inferior beings! We **WILL** show them the full extent of our natural powers and we **WILL** show them their proper place! For those who wish to indulge in their new form, go the levels below and decimate the creatures blocking our paths. The rest of you may watch as our captain becomes one of us!"

The lieutenant motions over to Adam.

"He had been one of the few who fought for our rights and worked his way to the position he holds. The leaders of the White Fang had deemed it proper for him to receive the reward of his new status! Praise your brother, as he becomes leader of the Fourth Fang!"

Their cheers and roars filled the room; their eyes alight with power given to them by the blood. All of them called out his name, beckoning him to take the blood for himself. Despite their call, Adam remained in place, unsure of his new position.

Becoming leader of the Fourth Fang would mean having every able bodied member within Vale fall under his control. They had been lacking a central figure ever since the previous leader stepped down from his position, leaving the other three to continue his work. Yet it would also mean that the leaders of the First, Second, and Third within the other kingdoms had finally acknowledged him as their equal, and they would need someone to command their forces in Vale; the only one with the fewest amount of influence among the Faunus. They must have believed that he was capable of pulling the final corner of their forces together, as his success within the kingdom were consistently followed through. Adam had been the only one successful in convincing the Faunus into fighting for their cause and they would need such numbers now more than ever.

In any other situation or form, Adam would be proud to take up the position as the prominent Fourth.

What was being asked of him now came with an irrefutable price: to gain their collective trust and loyalty, he would have to disregard Sibyll's warning. If he were to refuse, his power and position would be questioned as well as his loyalty to his brothers and sisters. Such hesitation would compromise his need to steer his people away from such a practice and yet… the surviving few carried a power he had never felt: not with Cinder or any Hunter he came across. His aura reflexively withdrew away from them, sensing something dangerous within their bodies unlike he had ever seen. Adam didn't understand how such a thing could be when the creatures he faced in Addersfield didn't carry such intent. In anything, he felt the absence of their auras as he evaded their attacks and fended them off. There was an emptiness coming off of them, as if to show they were nothing more than shells without their souls.

But with the members surrounding, he could sense their aura individually and the mere presence of it caused him to grip his weapon tighter and closer to him. It was the very same sensation he often felt when he began his work with the White Fang; eyes boring into him as if he were easy prey, and vulnerable under their gaze. It was the same feeling he felt when he eluded more practiced Hunters, some of which were more keen of killing him than turning him in to the proper authorities. With the eyes around him, Adam felt a presence watching him and preparing itself for a hunt. Their souls were empowered by something, but bound to it as well.

"Come brother!" the lieutenant road as he motioned for the chalice to be brought forth. "Join us and together we shall attain what is rightfully ours!"

The golden chalice was thrust upon the swordsman, his hand tentatively curling around the neck. He looked down into the crimson colored liquid, darkened by time, but the scent of it carried a sinister feel to it.

" _Say that I_ _ **do**_ _believe you and that whatever it is that we're looking for poses the greatest threat the world has ever seen. What makes you believe you are capable of thwarting my superiors or the one controlling them? You're just one human against the forces of many,"_ his own voice echoed in his mind. Yet the expression the young hunter held from the other side of those bars remained resolute.

" _I have not the slightest idea. If I am honest, I am as anxious now as I once was when I first took upon the role of a Hunter. There is much at stake and the lives of many rests on my shoulders. I may be brazen to say that such responsibility was never mine to begin with. Yet here we are now."_

Adam remembered that infuriating smile of a man just as dangerous as he was.

" _And if I don't believe you? What if this is all a ploy to deter me away from the very thing that could free my people from the binds of an oppressive human society? What if that woman is right and that we will find a power to show the world our worth?"_

He remembered how tightly he gripped the iron bars as he leaned forward, his eyes focusing on Sibyll.

" _What if I_ _ **want**_ _that power?"_

That frustrating sense of being overly-familiar, the slight jokes and prods, the hopeful smile faded as orange eyes burned against his. The amiable person who had done his best to vouch for him at the dinner had disappeared and in his place was a man devoid of any emotion. Adam didn't believe that any human would intimidate him, but the Hunter before him instilled a sense of doubt. Sibyll too had leaned in, their faces mere inches away from each other.

" _Then you are nothing more than the many others I have killed who shared that very same belief. I would not want to take the life of such a promising swordsman, but I will not yield my blade to you or anyone else."_

The most prominent memory Adam had of the young hunter before the town fell to ruin remained in his departing words.

" _I am no stranger to working alone Mister Taurus. From the very moment I signed my life away, I knew this path would lead me the furthest away from peace that I will ever know. My hands and weapons are stained with the lives of many others, and that will continue so long as I have my duty to fulfill. The creatures I have claimed, the beasts I hunt, are nothing compared to what you have seen. And should_ _ **you**_ _decide to imbibe that blood of your own accord, may you pray our paths_ _ **never**_ _cross for I will hunt you down like the rest."_

Adam had heard many threats, many vows of vengeance, from those he wronged in his line of work. Many still had yet to follow through, yet Sibyll's warning resonated strongly from his mind, and he felt that the young hunter would follow through with his promise. He could feel the eyes of the other members watching him expectantly, as he held the cup in his hand.

* * *

They had been gathered to line up before the airships, the paperwork set, and the contracted Huntsmen and Huntresses ready for departure. Many continued to fume over their spurned retribution, but grief had overtaken them. There were no words of thanks exchanged, a bitter silence reminding the headmaster of the growing friction with human-faunus relations. Even from a distance, there was a growing sense of enmity towards him which he could not disagree with. To them, his students and their mission had cost them the lives of people they knew. No amount of increased support would allow them to forget that.

Ozpin's eyes scanned the crowd, their collective shuffle a phantom the years past. How many had suffered like they? There was stirring in the crowd, an unseen force moving against the flow of bodies as voices called out to it. He waited, the heads of the adults parting slightly as a young faunus girl came into view. Her small, night gown had become distressed and dirtied as a result of having to remain within the borders of the relief zone. While they had provided portable showers and commodes for their sanitary uses, she looked untended; wearing her dishevelment as some sort of proof to her plight. Her blue ears twitched about, long azure hair swaying side to side as her peach colored scanned the grounds. Peaches at dusk, ripened before the dark.

Their gaze met with Ozpin unsure if the girl's hesitation was from his being a human, or a stranger eyeing them with distrust. It did not deter the young girl from running up to him, craning her neck to look up at the headmaster.

"Um," she began, her small voice faltering.

"Is there anything I can help you with young lady?" the headmaster asked, careful not scare her.

"I-I don't want to b-bother you, sir, but are you him? The 'Mister Ozpin' that Miss Coco talks about?"

Hazel eyes widened in piqued interest as the girl nervously waited for an answer. He remembered reading about her in Coco's reports, of a man and his daughter sharing their hospitality with Sibyll. The father's name came up alongside the other deceased and, by her troubled expression, knew that she was one of the few orphaned children that survived.

"That is correct. And I take it you must be Chisa."

Startled by the call of her name from a stranger, she nodded quickly. She turned her gaze down into her folded hands, carefully grasping them together it ward off the tremble in her voice.

"Is… is it true? That my papa—" her voice choked slightly, unable to bring herself to look at him. She didn't know when sleep overtook her the night before, but she couldn't escape the empty house that was her home. The darkened hallways stretching forever, doors she couldn't open as she pleaded silently for help.

"I'm afraid it is true Miss Cavell. It may not seem enough coming from me, but you have my deepest apologies."

She tucked her chin close to her chest, sadness wrapping itself around her heart. Chisa knew that she would have to go home alone, unsure of what the elders would do for someone like her. While she knew the other villagers by name, something about living with them frightened her. She wasn't theirs, nor will she ever be. She was her papa and mama's; their little girl, theirs. But if they were gone, what would she do? She didn't want to be someone else's. She didn't want be "not theirs". No one. She had no one else, except for…

"Did he say he was sorry?" she asked. Chisa's head turned up slightly, still wary of the man with hair like Sibyll's. "He did something wrong, and wanted to run away. But he came back. Did he say sorry?"

"Of course," Ozpin spoke softly. "We may not see eye to eye, but he was sincere in apologizing in his own way. As of now, we have a better understanding of each other."

The young girl nodded, her eyes returning to her hands.

"But that isn't the reason why you asked."

Chisa remained silent.

"Would you like to say your good-byes? If you wish, I can summon him to see you off."

"There is no need headmaster. I have come of my own accord."

She turns to find him there, standing a fair distance away, and still wearing the same teacher-like clothes from the night before. It was the same Sibyll met that night a month ago, his blade at his side, and looking tense as if to run. The young hunter eyed the departing townspeople, receiving their full brunt of their fury through their eyes, but he made no motion of acknowledging it.

"I didn't think you'd be here, let alone so early," Ozpin commented.

"There are some concerns regarding the building I wanted to address. It is not in the best condition, but I thought it best to seek your consul in its repairs. I do not know what passes for your kingdom's currency, but I hope gold and silver still retain their value."

The young hunter reached into his pocket, pulling forth a sizeable bag, and tossing it Ozpin who caught it deftly in his hand. Opening it slightly, he saw the gleaming metals tucked within. He would send a few samples to Oobleck in order to study unknown designs, but his attention was drawn back to the girl rooted in her spot. Sibyll had tucked his hands behind his back, taking careful to approach them. He stopped, leaving just enough space between himself and Chisa. When she had said nothing, the young hunter took a deep bow.

"Thank you for caring for me, little one. I will always remember the kindness you and your father have shown me when I arrived at your town. He had me promise to ensure your safety, and I will see to it that his last wish is followed through. But allow me to do one more thing for you, as a token of my thanks and as an apology for his death. Anything you wish, I will try to fulfill."

Ozpin watched as Sibyll returned to his upright and rigid form. He waited patiently for the girl to answer, to demand from, to blame, and to condemn him.

It started with a hitched breath, a suppressed sniffle which she tried to hold back.

"…I…don't want…to…go back…" she struggled to say. Her shoulders shook, hands reaching up to wipe away her blurry vision. "I'm scared… There's no one…at home for me and…I don't…I…I…"

She remembered her father telling her once that it's okay to cry. The other kids had teased her again about her unusually colored hair, exactly like her mother's. Their jeers and jokes struck something deep, forcing her to run home and trying to cut off the long blue locks. He happened to be back in time to stop her, to hear her out, to let her cry in his arms as he consoled her. Yet Chisa also remembered him say she had to be strong too. To not let them see her tears and to remain as strong and brave as her mother once was. That she would not let their teasing hurt her because her hair was a gift her mother had given her. She would not spoil it for anyone or anything else, and to cut it out of spite would only make her mother sad.

Chisa wanted to be strong now, just enough to admit why she was afraid of going back.

"I don't want you to leave me behind too."

She shed her tears, small hands doing their best to stop the hurt she felt. A cry was caught in her throat, staggered breaths trapping her voice. Yet through the pain, her heart had spoken true.

He was a strange person with a strange way of speaking. He was different in the way he was around them, not having to be so careful like the others. His politeness and kindness helped make…something in their home that wasn't there before he came. There was something familiar about him, drawing her closer and closer until she realized it.

Like them, Sibyll was sad.

A sadness she felt whenever she saw her father looking at another old photo of her mother. Whenever they had meals together, she noticed how reluctant he was to be in their presence. Maybe he was afraid that they would turn him away? Maybe he was homesick? Maybe he too missed his family. But whatever it was, whatever sadness Sibyll held, it made her want to help him.

She would ask him questions, and he would answer.

She would ask for his company, and he kept it.

She would ask him what his favorite color is (auburn), his favorite past time (listening to music), favorite fruit (clementines), least favorite food (green vegetables), favorite animal (owls), nighttime snack (buttered toast with sugar), did her ears look weird (not in the slightest), was he afraid of anything (the nightmares when he sleeps), did he like Addersfield (he did), does he like fighting monsters (never), what does this word mean (ohm-in-us, "something bad might happen"), does he have a family too (he cannot remember if he does), is it scary to not remember (sometimes), what he misses the most (his home).

Always, without ever growing tired of her, he answered.

Always, she hoped he had been honest with her.

Like them, he was sad.

 _With_ them, he was less sad. She wanted to give him the same feeling he had given her; a feeling of being treasured.

"I am unable to take care of you Chisa," Sibyll spoke.

The young girl's head snapped up, wide eyes looking up at his hardened expression. It scared her just how much his face could change, between being the gentle person who looked after her and the man who had killed the Ursa that chased her the day they met. She forgot what he looked like when he was serious or on his return from fighting the monsters outside her town.

"Before all else, I am a Hunter," he stated. "I must hunt the beasts which threaten the lives of others, and I cannot stop nor put aside my work for anything else. Hunting is all I know. You will have a better chance to lead a better life when you return to Addersfield, deserving of another chance to reclaim your childhood. It is there you are safe, cared for, and out of harm's way. A Hunter's workshop is no place for children. The home you wish for, I cannot give you."

Chisa's heart wrenched, refusing to believe the cruelty of his words. Yet he remained resolute in his stance, his face still set in such a hardened form that he almost appeared to be a stranger. She covered her face with her hands, hoping to hide long enough where she won't have to watch him leave. He would leave her too. She would be the only one left behind when everyone else finds a home or place to return to.

She felt her hands slowly moved away, tender fingers wiping away the tears as he knelt down in front of her. Her sight focused on his orange eyes softening, his face becoming more familiar as his hands cupped her face.

"But I promise to try."

His hands ran gently through her hair, mindful of the ears tucked against her head.

"I may not always be present to care for you, and there will be moments where my work takes my full attention. Understand that you will be left to yourself for a time, and you will have to learn to become self-reliant in my absence. You will undoubtedly be exposed to elements of my work which can be frightening, and the company I keep will cause worry. In truth, I am not a suitable candidate to raise you properly."

Sibyll rested his hands on her shoulders.

"I would not put it past you to regret your wish, as it is not something any child should undergo. Rather, I still want you to return to your town. But if you truly wish to stay, then I will show you the kindness you have given me. I cannot and will not ever replace your father… but I will try to honor his wishes and provide as much as I can for you."

Sibyll held out his hand to her.

"All I ask is that you continue to watch over me as I will for you."

He felt her answer as small arms wrapped itself tightly around his neck, her face snug against him as she continued to cry. His arms wrapped around her, pulling close and comforting her as the only person she trusted. Sibyll didn't know when he had grown so complacent, as to let Chisa affect him as much as she did. Maybe their month together had been something he needed, a respite against hunting the scourge. Or was it repentance in another form? The girl in his arms was so similar the little girl he had tried to save in Yharnam, having the same demure disposition and shyness. Had his guilt grown so much as to try and tend to a single life in the contrast of the many he had taken? Admittedly, he understood why many were distrusting of him and his methods. To them, and of those in Yharnam, he is killer which people run or hide from. To have Chisa in his care could very well damn her as his reputation did him.

So why then?

Why falter and abandon the firm, independent stance on his work? Why compromise the philosophy Gehrman instilled in him for a child? He had come across many children orphaned by the scourge, and it should be no different now.

"Thank you… for letting me stay with you…" she said against his chest.

She needed someone familiar in a time of mourning.

She asked for safety and security from a position of vulnerability.

Chisa trusted _him_.

The young girl in his arms _wanted_ him. Wanting and wanted; such a strange form of validation. Sibyll carefully lifted the girl into his arms, turning to address the headmaster in their presence.

"Surely something can be done about our situation. From where I have come, the more prominent families cane take upon dispossessed children at will, as work hands or apprentices. Yet I do not know the customs of guardianship of your world, and would not be too hasty as to cause any transgression."

"It would certainly call for a lot of paper work. But even you admitted to the difficulties of keeping her as your ward. I can still find her a proper home, and I can assure you that the family will be able to care for her."

At this, Chisa buried her face deeper against Sibyll's chest as she gripped him tightly.

"She has made her choice, and I have my word to uphold. A life for a life, as they say."

Sibyll softly stroked the girl's back, easing her grip on him as she shifted her weight in his arms. He knew that keeping her by his side would be a difficult feat, leaving both parental and educational responsibilities on him. That and he would have to be more mindful of the nature of his work around her, her eyes to inquisitive for his comfort. Even if the young girl couldn't internalize the words she read, the inevitable discomfort would lead to a friction between them. Basic supplies, materials, clothes, and…

"After some thought, perhaps I can take an advance on that conversion? If the sum remains to be insufficient, I still have some in my reserves to meet the difference. Aside from the building, I intended to pick up some supplies from the city with the help of a guide if one is available. As of now, they may also be available hands to carry a good portion of them back."

"The professors on campus will be busy preparing their classes, but I can assign Miss Rose's team to—"

"Would another team suffice?" Sibyll asked abruptly. "At present, I believe the young miss's team would prefer not to be my presence, and I promised to give Miss Belladonna some time to herself after her training. The same could very well be said for Miss Adel's team, as I seem to make Miss Scarlatina uneasy. I apologize if I appear too demanding, but I believe the impression I left with them is not praiseworthy."

"Not at all," Ozpin spoke as he pulled out his scroll and searched briefly. "I can have Team JNPR act as both escort and guide, but please exercise extreme caution. Your workshop falls under the academy's jurisdiction, but in the city I cannot protect you from the kingdom's authority. Hopefully in a few days' time, Qrow will have found something, and you can work with him from there. The time between should be enough to set your affairs in order. Until then, you'll be able to meet Team JNPR by the bullhead's landing zone."

Ozpin pulled out several colored cards, handing it over to Sibyll. The young hunter eyed it warily, his eyes flicking between the extended currency and the headmaster.

"I did not think it would be your money I would be taking. This does not sit well with me," Sibyll admitted.

"Technically, it is the academy's money. Should it fall under the budget, any use of it would still fall under academic purposes. You are temporarily overseeing Miss Belladonna's rehabilitation," Ozpin reminded.

"I suppose you are right," Sibyll relented as he tentatively took the cards. "Shall we set off little one?" Her head nodded slightly and he began to turn.

"Oh, and Mister Sibyll?"

The young hunter turned his head slightly to look at the headmaster.

"I did not think you had a soft spot for children. Considering your previous involvement with the other students, I was under the impression you were working under false pretenses."

Sibyll's gaze returned to the head of blue hair tucked snugly under his chin.

"I try to be an honest man, headmaster," the young hunter began. "As a Hunter, the only thing we are allowed to mask is our presence and laying bare our intentions to both man and beast. In a strange sense, there is a purity between the hunter and hunted; untainted by personal vendettas or motivations. It is the only way to keep our minds clear and conscious of every misstep. At most, half-truths are what protect me from being too attached or too distant."

The young hunter's hold tightened slightly around the young girl.

"Yet the little one protects me more than I can admit."

* * *

Blake remained perched in her spot of the roof, keeping an eye out for the streets below. She found it difficult to pick any particular person out of the busy crowd as the Vytal festival returned to full swing. A plethora of colors and sound filled the air, many of the citizens trying to forget their speculation over the unusual stop to the festivities. Their voices carried up from the streets, mixed with anticipation for the upcoming fights as well as eager for the souvenirs to bring back home… or so Blake assumed.

She tried to strain her human hears to pick up any single conversation out of a crowd, too many voices blending into one another. Her eyes squinted to a particular man, older, dressed formally in a business suit, and speaking with a woman assumed to be half his age. She struggled to make out his facial features, though a vague sense of his expression appeared pleasant, if slightly drunk by the redness of his face. Or was it that he sun-burned easily? The lady in his company looked to be enjoying herself, the occasional laugh hidden behind her hands. Was she charmed or simply amusing him?

This shouldn't have been a problem, having been trained under Adam to gather information while under cover. But he had trained her to use her faunus heritage, the keen senses of her cat ears and the sharpness of her eyes. Without them, Blake could only assume from what her senses could allow. She rubbed away the frustration from her eyes, focusing her attention elsewhere.

"Is something the matter?"

She turned to the woman in her company, still dressed in the battle attire when they had met _three_ days ago. Raven had foregone the mask as to not let the Grimm accents tie her to the absent White Fang. Still, Blake found it a bit unsettling how similar to Yang she was, even if the woman was her biological mother. The woman's crimson eyes scanned the crowed without as much as glancing toward Blake after her inquiry. Professional, vigilant, and cautious, all Yang had to mold into…hopefully.

"No, everything's fine," the raven haired girl answered. Amber eyes returned to scanning the crowd as well, trying to find their intended target. Yet the information she and her team had learned from Raven remained a worrying point in the back of their minds. Blake was glad that Sibyll honored his end and gave her time to acclimate to her…condition. The weight set in her chest had grown heavier since then…

"I take it you disagree with the plan as well?" Raven asked.

"No, I understand this is necessary. Even if Yang is completely against it, she'll come around. It's just been a tough week for all of us, and she's been trying keep us safe from any more harm."

"Just like her father," Raven commented. Blake turned to find the woman's expression softening slightly. "That man went as far to cover any sharp corners and open outlets _months_ before Yang was born. It was much worse when he always tried to part bustling crowds for me when I began to show. I didn't think his stubbornness would hereditary."

And just as quickly, the rigid composure returned.

"Still, her brash attitude will only get her into more trouble. If her father was just as reckless in his youth, then it would be wise to be concerned the same will happen to Yang. I'm sure you've all seen her at her worst."

"The word 'adamant' would be enough to describe how she's been lately," Blake admitted. " _I_ still don't believe that _you_ want us to observe him."

"A Huntress should never be hasty in pursuit of her target. If we want to deal with him, it will be on our terms. All his strengths and weaknesses must be known before anything can be done. Yang knows this but her motivators cloud her judgment."

Blake knew that Raven was referring to her, as the girl resisted the urge to run her fingers through her hair. It had become an insufferable habit, her mind still reeling in disbelief of her change and her heart aching for familiarity.

"We strike only when he's vulnerable. Whether or not he's on our side or theirs, there are still things that need to be contained. His exposure to this world has already left one town scarred. Any more and the rest of the kingdoms will soon follow."

"He can't die," Blake reminded him.

"I know. But he will be apprehended sooner or later. For now, we'll let him loose to play his own role. We can't draw out the White Fang or their associates without him out in the open."

Raven stood, preparing them to move to another position in the city. Blake followed in silence as the woman summoned another crimson portal. She didn't like having to depend on another but traversing the rooftops without aura would be a huge misstep on her part. Even with buildings clustered together had the raven hair girl doubting her skill. That may have been the reason why Ruby had paired them together for their observation, trying to be gentle with her. Blake would have appreciated the sentiment if the rest of her team didn't walk on eggshells around her as well. Sparring faired even worse as she could feel them lessen the impact of their attack, and if she didn't know better Blake would have felt coddled by them.

She could still fight, but the methods would need a drastic change…

"Let's go," Raven spoke as she stepped into the portal.

Blake followed, feeling uneasy as the portal feeling synonymous to her trip to the Hunter's Dream; both were a dizzying affair that left her mind and body disjointed for a moment before coming together once more. She allowed her thoughts to the discussion and plan they had decided days ago, still unsure of what to make of it.

* * *

" _To an extent, Yang is correct: this Sibyll should not even be alive or existing as of this very moment," Raven spoke to the girls. Ruby, Weiss, and Blake were at a loss for words, unsure how such a person would share the same sentiment with the brawler. Even as the red hooded leader recounted the details of Sibyll's appearance and involvement, to say his existence was some sort of cosmic mistake was harsh._

" _But he is alive," Ruby tried to clarify. "He lives and breaths and… bleeds like any other person. And we've all seen and talk to him too! Sibyll's not the easiest person to understand, but to say he shouldn't be alive is cruel."_

" _That may be so, but people like him have been historically wiped out."_

" _There have been no such accounts. True, old kingdoms have fallen but their people survived and they are what formed the existing kingdoms today," Weiss countered._

" _And if history spoke of a way to wipe out Grimm at the expense of your humanity and aura, would you want that taught to future generations? Have that sort of information available to any antagonizing faction?" Weiss lowered her gaze, unable to answer as Raven continued._

" _I wouldn't put it past your headmaster or your Council to hide such information from public knowledge among other things. Before the discovery of dust and aura, civilizations of the past were primitive at best. They praised and worshipped various gods, believing them responsible for their prosperity or destruction. They believed the Grimm at the time to be the embodiment of demons, spirits cursed to hunt their brethren in animalistic form, and they grew desperate when they were outnumbered. They practiced all forms of rituals and sacrifices, lives bled for the fight of their existence. It was only until one ritual in particular that turned the tide in their favor."_

 _Raven leaned against the bookshelf behind her, crossing her arms._

" _I don't know many details, but from the historians were able to decipher it consisted of blood consumption._ _ **'To fell a beast, drink the essence of their power,'**_ _one of them coined. Where this blood originated from is unknown, but to drink it gave any person the means to hunt the Grimm. They grew in power, in skill, able to survive skirmishes and ambushes at the cost of their sanity."_

 _Ruby tightened her hold on her hood, remembering Sibyll's fight against her uncle. It still frightened her on how he relished wearing blood, the crimson color marring a smiling face._

" _Before long, they pushed back against the creatures of darkness, but they too began to change. The images in that tome show both man and faunus becomes more beastly in appearance, spilling and drinking more blood than necessary. And then there was nothing; no trace of their end or why those civilizations disappeared. The only explanations left were in obscure accounts or convoluted mythos, until now. The person we're dealing with is living proof that there's more going on than we understand."_

" _You mentioned that those old civilizations were primitive at best, right? He doesn't_ _ **dress**_ _primitively, or at least I hope that wasn't what was considered 'primitive' at the time. Maybe 'old timey'?" Ruby added. "He does talk like an old person…"_

" _Ruby's right. From the moment we first met him, he dresses himself like Blake with a clear emphasis of proper decorum and sophistication. Even if his disposition speaks otherwise, I wouldn't think of him as barbaric," Weiss spoke. Though inwardly, the heiress disliked him as much as Yang did, disproving of his methods to deal with the enemies as well as innocent bystanders._

 _Raven turned to face the raven haired girl, her expression remaining stoic._

" _And what have you gathered from him? What consists of your 'rehabilitation' with him, and what knowledge has he shared with you that cannot be shared with others?"_

" _It's," Blake began, "philosophical?"_

 _All eyes watched her, three parts confused and one remaining unreadable._

" _What I mean to say is that his 'workshop's' approach to hunting beasts is in some ways similar to ours," she explained. "There was once a deep respect given to those who hunt the scourge-afflicted animals, preventing further infection in small towns or large cities. Sibyll mentioned that, for at time, Hunters were as abundant as Huntsmen and Huntresses. So many in fact, that it became a common practice for the aspiring, uninitiated, or the unofficial citizens. With a great need for them, many branched off to form their own factions, focusing their efforts on a particular study or practice."_

 _Blake motioned to the Hunter's garb she wore._

" _Sibyll apprenticed under a man called Gehrman, or 'The First Hunter', as he puts it. He had been one of the few prominent figures in establishing the notorious workshops from where he comes from. In a way, his mentor was the one responsible for cleaning up the messes left behind by the other two. 'Swift subtlety' was what Sibyll was taught; to be faster and smarter than his prey. Other than that, the rest is vaguely talked about. We've only focused on practicing evasion so far, but he intends for me to grow accustom to the Workshop's style of fighting."_

" _Using the blood of others to empower yourself, right?" Raven asked._

 _Blake nodded, trying to meet the eyes of her teammates._

" _But it's not just that. The recorded video between his and Qrow's fight showed him trying to disembowel him, waiting for an opportunity of weakness to strike. His weapons look old, but the function with deadly efficiency, never missing their mark."_

" _And he's got these tattoos on his arms," Ruby added as she copied the marks on a blank sheet of paper. "When he was being held by Ironwood, I asked him what they were in passing. He called them runes, and said that they were an 'anomaly'; like he wasn't supposed to have them."_

 _Raven lowered her head in thought, a hand resting on her chin. The four girls watched in anticipation as the silence grew into several minutes before the she spoke once more._

" _There's an inconsistency in the information we have."_

 _She stood, moving away from the dresser and approached the girls._

" _If your accounts with him are true, then he is only_ _ **half**_ _what I suspected."_

" _How can someone be 'half' of what you thought?" Yang asked, sharing the same sentiment of confusion with her teammates._

" _The tome_ _ **never**_ _references any formation of 'workshops' nor technological advancements. From what I've gathered, those civilizations were only capable of forging the basics: blades, arrows, clubs, but nothing as advanced as firearms. As far as runes go, none were practiced with the closest being some form of war paint. The only thing tying them together is the use of blood to empower or embolden. Other than that, the rest doesn't make sense."_

 _Raven stood straight, her left hand resting on the hilt of her weapon._

" _Whether or not he's telling the truth, we can still consider him a great threat. For now, we keep watch over him and wait."_

" _But we have to do something_ _ **now**_ _!" Yang shouted. "We can't just sit by when he could easily hurt another person. I thought we agreed on this!?"_

" _We agreed that something_ _ **must**_ _be done, but never_ _ **when**_ _. Confronting him now will only fall into his favor, or driving him closer to those seeking him out. If he's working with one of the most notorious White Fang members, then that leaves us with two assumptions: he has someone on the inside that can provide information, or that this is a ploy to draw our attention away from the real threat. In any case, now is not the time strike."_

" _But if we have him, then neither the White Fang nor their allies can have them!" the brawler debated. Golden locks began to glow, crimson eyes meeting._

" _And_ _ **lose**_ _the strategic advantage of drawing out our enemies on_ _ **our territory**_ _. You don't think it's strange that your headmaster, one of the most revered Huntsmen in Remnant, would allow him to move about freely in his academy? Or that he is willing to work with this Sibyll, going so far as to provide him a base of operations? What about those months ago? When someone_ _ **infiltrated**_ _the CCT, and they disappeared without a trace?"_

 _Yang found herself unable to answer and at the mercy of the woman's observation._

" _The enemy is already hiding within our borders and the only way to bring them to light is bait them out with what they want. If they had planned to recruit this Sibyll, they must have done so with clear intention of using him. And that too is strange: a human-hating organization seeking out a human whose very nature challenges what we know. If we wish to stop the resurgence of the Blood Hunters, we have to do it wisely."_

" _Blood Hunters?" Ruby asked._

" _It is what people like Sibyll are referred to: hunters fueled by the blood of their prey."_

" _How do you know all of this?" Weiss noted. "If this is all information hidden away from, or if they were difficult to decipher at all, how are you the only one knowledgeable enough to warn us?"_

 _Raven paused, her expression a mixture between conflict and…something else._

" _Before the tome was stolen, I was its sole guardian," Raven explained. "My family had been tasked with the protection and security of any forbidden knowledge Remnant wishes to hide. It has been that way for as long as my lineage existed. The historians tasked to help decipher the nature tome's writings were silenced completely."_

" _You killed them?" Yang's voice betrayed a disbelief as Raven nodded in confirmation._

" _It was necessary to keep the knowledgeable from being accidentally spreading."_

" _Then why decipher it at all? If no one is supposed to know it, why go through the unnecessary effort and bloodshed to learn it?" Weiss countered._

" _And why would you continue to try and qualify yourself by succeeding your family's Royal Test, Miss Schnee? Surely if you don't agree with your father's philosophy and practice, you wouldn't give him the satisfaction of complying with his demands."_

 _The heiress' eyes grew wide, surprised that anyone outside the Schnee name would know of her family's practices. Even her sister Winter had difficulty with the Test, but had succeeded anyways._

" _Like you, I was born and bred into a situation I disagreed with. To learn and guard one of the world's dangerous knowledge was a rite of passage I had to undergo in order to fulfill my family's name. The only ever to break away from that was my brother, and only through sheer difficulty was he able to leave at the cost of his name and ties."_

 _Raven's back stood straighter as she addressed them._

" _Until the day it was stolen, I had fulfilled my purpose as Remnant's guard against the knowledge that would destroy it. And I have spent seventeen years trying to correct that mistake."_

 _At this, Blake looked over to her partner who fists began to shake. She didn't know if it was out of fury or disappointment, but the brawler remained unreadable as she stood eye to eye with Raven._

" _You're not who I thought you were," Yang stated coldly._

" _And you think you're the first person I've disappointed?"_

 _There was no sense of returned antagonism, no self justification. Blake felt the words to a form of resignation, an acceptance of what has and what is, a wholly neutral acknowledgement. Unlike Yang with her hair alight and eyes filled with fury, Raven remained calm and accepting of the brawler's disappointment and anger. How long would someone have to endure to become to complacent in other's retribution? Like Sibyll, what struggles did she have to face to remain so wholly indifferent?_

" _If you wish to remain so stubborn about this then leave us," Raven promptly stated. "Go cool your head elsewhere until you've calmed down, but I won't have you join us if your judgment is clouded in anger."_

 _Ruby looked between the two of them, unsure of how to mediate until the brawler turned and left, slamming the door behind her. The feeling of uncertainty remained in the brawler's absence, Blake unsure of what to do next. She wanted to go after her partner, return the gesture when she had been overworking herself in her investigation of the White Fang. She wanted to help, but even she couldn't deny that Yang had been the most adamant about detaining Sibyll out of the four them. Ruby at least made the effort to hear him out, deciding only after to place them under holding. Perhaps Yang needed the space, time to calm down and form thoughts clearly if she was still against Sibyll's freedom._

" _We'll have to be careful about this. If he catches wind of us, he might react in way that could be unfavorable. We need him exposed and vulnerable so that whoever does come after him, they'll be apprehended too."_

" _What if he fights or tries to run off the grid again?" Ruby asked._

" _We won't give him the chance."_

* * *

They had moved to another location, overlooking a less active street but the open space would be enough to pick out their intended target. Blake found the silence between them unsettling, but kept her eyes below. If she still wanted to continue the path of the Huntress, then by example, she would start acting like one.

"How is she?" Raven asked.

The questions had taken the raven haired girl by surprise. She spared a quick look to the woman next to her before returning to the streets below.

"What do you mean?" It was the only thing Blake could say, finding the context of Raven's question having more than face value.

"Yang… Is she always like that?" The woman's eyes seemed more focus on watching the passing people below.

"No, she's much more easygoing and relaxed. If anything, the only thing would rile her up is a good fight or a team outing. It's hard to unwind when she's more of a busybody than Ruby."

"Hmm…"

"Worse yet," Blake continued, "she has a habit of being overly flirtatious with some people. One student had the misfortune of trying to woo her in front our room until Weiss set him straight. But overall, Yang means well. She's the one who keeps an eye out for all of us when we're too busy to watch over ourselves. From a sister's standpoint, she really dotes on Ruby to a point where it embarrasses her. As a friend and ally, she's understanding and pushy when need be. It's kind of motherly in a way."

Blake found herself regretting that final statement, the slip of her tongue placing her in an awkward situation.

"I see."

With that, Raven fell silent. There was no reaction, no recoil, anything that told the girl that her misstep had unintentionally insulted the woman with her. Yet she found it more unsettling how Raven made no further comment or inquiry over her daughter's life. As if the answers received were enough after the years of complete absence. It didn't sit right with the girl.

"Why ask me? Don't you want to ask her these questions yourself?" Blake carefully worded.

"I doubt that she would want to speak with me after we discussed the plan. If anything, I'm only disappointing her further with my mere presence."

"But you're her mother."

"Biologically I am," Raven spoke curtly. "But I forfeited that role when I left to fulfill my duty those years ago. I never planned any of it to happen, but they did and I was left with a choice between my family and safety of the world. Whatever feelings or thoughts Yang has of me are justified, but I will not make excuses for my actions. Her mother will always be Summer Rose until the end of their days."

Could any be so callous and removed? Blake was appalled at the woman's words, spoken without hesitation and with conviction. The belief in her duty transcending the importance of her family was her resolution. The young girl knew that were families like that, her mother similar in that respect, but never to the extent of abandonment. Blake's memories of her own mother recalled the moments of the time put aside for her, those days spent simply reading or in a content silence. She was present for it.

"But you saved her. That day during the breach, Yang saw someone leave in a portal for the briefest moment after she was knocked out. The woman she fought with would have killed her without your intervention. That must mean something!"

"I didn't even know it was her until after I stepped in."

Blake's mind came to a halt as the woman continued.

"I was investigating the ruins of Mount Glenn for White Fang activity, my sources indicating that whoever had stolen the tome from the original thief was working with them. I planned and waited, hoping that whoever their associate was would come forth. That was when you all arrived. Your appearance gave me the distraction I need to obtain as many files I could before the cutout. When the fight took to the train, I just happened to come across her without realizing it."

Raven's attention focused on another part of the street.

"She had grown so much that I didn't recognize her. When I did, I had to leave. I spent years trying to cover my tracks so that her or her father wouldn't come after me. I just never thought she would be investigating as well."

"You knew she was looking for your?" Blake asked disbelievingly.

"Of course I knew," Raven replied. "I tried to make my departure as clean cut as I could; erasing any evidence of my presence so that she could believe anyone else would be her mother."

"That's cruel!"

"It was necessary."

"How? How can you still not care after meeting her? She's been searching for you for so long, trying to understand why you left! Do you really not care about your family?"

"Don't be foolish," Raven reprimanded. "Of course I care. Do you think of me so heartless as to never think of the life I left behind? That those seventeen years weren't spent in doubt or regret? I left my home, the man I loved, and my child behind to protect them from the world becoming more dangerous than it already is. The Grimm, the dwindling human-faunus relations, raiders, profiteers, and people like the White Fang were already enough to deal with."

Raven turned to Blake as crimson and black aura rolled off her body. Red eyes glowed dangerously and for the first time, Blake found the connection between mother and daughter aside from their looks.

"But I didn't want my family to live in an age where they were hunted for their blood. I didn't want to subject them to my mistake of having misplaced my trust to those hiding the tome. If I had known they could be bought, I wouldn't have left it in their care in the wastes of Vacuo."

The aura began to recede back into the woman's body as her eyes picked something out in the street.

"I made a decision to ensure that the return of the Blood Hunters never comes. Yang and her father may never forgive me, but I'm doing what is right. Maybe they will understand one day."

Raven stood, preparing another portal.

"He's here. Let's go," she spoke as she stepped in without Blake. The girl took a moment to sort out her thoughts, trying to understand why the woman looked every bit remorseful behind her stoic composure. Duty or family? For a time, Blake felt herself dedicated to both; a profound connection to her parents and the ties to the White Fang that once took her in. She owed both of them greatly, but to dedicate her life to only one facet? She stepped into the portal, appearing at another rooftop where Raven perched. She positioned herself alongside her and on the streets below found Sibyll with Chisa, following after team JNPR. The young hunter had returned to his Hunter's attire, grey coattails flapping slightly in a passing breeze. The young girl beside him sported denim shorts and a child sized red hoody, blue hair tied back neatly. Chisa stuck closer to Sibyll, wary of the overexcited Nora as she spoke animatedly toward the young girl.

"Does the blonde one know of our objective?" Raven asked.

"Only what Ruby decided to tell him. Jaune's more or less informed as to why we're doing this, but our leader believes he's capable of acting subtly."

"He looks like he's trying to hide something blatant."

Blake looked toward the street, narrowing her eyes on the blonde knight who was nervously chuckling and pointing out various shops in rapid succession. The raven haired girl sighed, wondering how they came about having the most unsubtle person guiding their target around.

* * *

"Is everything alright Mister Arc? You appear to be troubled by something," Sibyll asked as he carried various bags. Chisa walked alongside him, carrying smaller and lighter bags, but kept close as the city seemed so much larger than from the window of a commercial airship. Jaune, finding his hoodie and armor much warmer than he thought, waved away the young hunter's concern.

"Who, me? Nah, totally okay! Everything's fine! Completely fine! All of us just are showing you two around the city and nothing else!"

Jaune gave another nervous chuckle, looking anywhere else aside from the man next to him. Behind them, Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora followed, two of the watching in disbelief. It was strange enough for their headmaster to task them with an escort mission for someone deemed dangerous by himself and the general. Even worse was the fact that Ruby had approached them when her team caught wind of their mission, and asked that they keep him unaware of their monitoring.

While Pyrrha tried not to judge people at face value, an uneasiness settled in her stomach with the presence of their current company. The champion had taken a liking to Chisa, finding the girl's polite shyness very sweet and endearing. Yet she began to question why such a girl would be under the guardianship of such a…person. Only until after reading the details the headmaster provided did that worrisome feeling grow. What she learned of that man wasn't someone she would leave an innocent child with. Sibyll, inadvertently, had been the sole reason why the town of Addersfield met with misfortune, and the obscure explanation did not improve her impression of him. By all accounts, adding into Ruby's teammates innate distrust of him, Pyrrha was inclined to be cautious as well. She would act as the man's guide (and guard) for a time with the hopes that he would make no move against the academy or the girl under his care.

Ren, the least outspoken of the group, was cautious with having the young man around overall. While the young hunter appeared complacent now, he did not know how Sibyll would truly act or if he would act at all. He had been present when Ruby and her team relayed the story of Addersfield to them; the obscure details over Blake's change and the wariness of Coco's team as well made him doubtful. If the young hooded reaper spoke guardedly about Sibyll's combat prowess, Ren felt he would have to keep the man at a safe distance away, especially from Nora.

As both Pyrrha and Ren's eyes fell upon their leader, the let out a collective sigh. Jaune's effort to remain inconspicuous was dismal at best, lacking any tact or grace of having to "act natural" around a dangerous person. Sibyll himself remained unaffected by the poor display, leaving the two to wonder just how aware (or unaware) he was of RWBY's plan to watch him. Nora on the other hand…

"So, are you like a 'Wandering Huntsman'? The kind that goes from town to town and solving their problems, all while trying to find a stable home after having such a tragic back story? Maybe you were like, a Huntsman Sheriff before some bandits kidnapped your family and that's why you go from town to town! OH! What if you're like the bad guy?"

Nora jumped back, pointing excitedly at the young hunter.

"If you're a bad guy, then we're going to have to stop you and turn you in! That way, we can cash in on the bounty that's probably on your head and then we can buy that 'koh-tat-zoo' table Ren saw in that catalog! So are you a bad guy? Are you? You'd be helping us if you are!"

As the hammer maiden continued her tirade of accusations and ideas of grandeur, Sibyll leaned into to Jaune carefully.

"Is your companion always this…energetic?" he asked.

Jaune sighed and nodded in response.

"You sorta get used to it after a while. But Nora's as good as they come, although it takes a lot out of you to keep up with her. Ren's the only one who can keep up with her, and he _usually_ tired overall."

"Aww, Renny can't help it if he's a sloth at heart Jauney!" Nora spoke as she butted in between them. "If anything, he takes sleeping **very** seriously! There was this one time where we were supposed to go on this field trip for class and I was so excited that I kept him up all night. And when went, he was so sleepy that I had to carry him throughout the whole park! I even have this picture with him and sloth and—"

"Nora!"

The cheery girl turned to her partner, sky blue eyes watching him expectantly.

"Yes Ren?"

He could only sigh more, knowing that Nora would only become more inclined to tell them one of his more embarrassing childhood moments if he tried to scold her. Instead, he would direct all their attentions away to something else.

"Maybe we should ask them if they are finished for the today. It's certainly getting late and you still have Professor Peach's essay to finish," Ren reminded.

"Ah, forgive me. I did not mean to take too much of your time," Sibyll apologized. "I am certain that we have enough supplies for now to call a close for today."

"There's no need to apologize," Pyrrha replied. "I'm sure we're all exhausted from another full day in Vale. _And_ we still have sparring practice Jaune."

At this, the knight groaned knowing it would be another full work out.

"Are we doing hand to hand combat again?" he half-whined.

"Mhmm, it is best that you are comfortable fighting _without_ your weapons as you are _with_ it."

They led the way back to the airship platform as the sun began to set. Sibyll's eyes wandered all about, taking in the full sight of colors and liveliness which he had never seen. Even with their third trip into the city, he couldn't help but be amazed at the enormity of it all; the various districts, shops, and delights.

"It is breathtaking, is it not little one?" he asked Chisa. The young girl nodded, reaching up with a free hand to hold onto his.

"It makes me feel really small," she commented, to which Sibyll chuckled.

"I feel the same way. Still, I did not think so many would turn us away." Sibyll felt Chisa's hand squeeze his a bit tighter. "It is no fault of yours little one. I doubt they would provide a proper service otherwise."

"It is a bit disheartening to see," Pyrrha admitted. "I hope you trust that we aren't like that Chisa. To us, you're just like every other person and won't treat you any differently."

"Yeah! You're just a cutie who happens to have adorable cat ears!"

Before she could react, Chisa found herself swept up and away, twirled about in the Nora's arms trying to scream her protests. Ren's efforts to diffuse the situation were abated as his partner ran ahead, keeping out of arms reach and taking the girl with her. Pyrrha followed after, hoping that her aid would prevent any catastrophe following an overenthusiastic Nora. Sibyll continued to watch, a smile slowly forming on his face as he followed after the blonde knight.

"I'm still surprised that you somehow got us to have dinner in a 'Hunters Only' bar last night," Jaune commented.

"Is that so strange? I was under the impression that you and your team would be considered Hunters as well."

"In training, yeah. But those were people who actually had licenses! If anything, they probably see us first years as annoyances. We were just lucky that Chisa won them over somehow."

"She does have a way in bringing out the gentleness of people," Sibyll admitted.

Jaune chuckled, finding his nervousness coming to surface once more. He personally didn't know what to make of him after hearing what Ruby and her team told them. Sibyll appeared to be okay with him, yet even the knight was wary of the man's good nature. If Ruby described him as violent in a fight, then is this the same person he was with? And the details over Blake's change from faunus to human was because of him… Could anyone really have that much power to change a person?"

"Hey Sibyll," Jaune carefully called out.

"Hmm?"

"Do you mind if I ask you something personal?"

"By all means Mister Arc, inquire away."

Jaune fidgeted with his fingers, trying to find the right words to say. Ruby told him that she and her team would be watching Sibyll from cover but there was still something wrong about it. Why go through all the effort of keeping an eye on someone that was already being watched? Ozpin would have surely given someone else the job of covert observation other than Ruby's team. Why the excessive numbers for one person? Unless Sibyll was someone more dangerous than Jaune initially thought. He snuck a glance at the young hunter, whose eyes were looking through shops windows. If Sibyll was so dangerous, then why place him in the custody of a first year time? But most of all, Jaune wanted to know if what was said about him were true. The violence, the town, the people changing, the blood, and did that speak true to the person he was escorting?

"Are the things people have said about you true?" Jaune let slip.

There was no answer.

Worrying that he may have blown his cover, Jaune turned quickly while trying to form any excuse and found that Sibyll was not by his side. He scanned the surrounding area, hoping that the young hunter didn't run, finding him stopped in his tracks. Jaune followed his gaze to an antique shop, and before he could ask why Sibyll dropped his bags, stepping quickly inside.

"Pyrrha!" the knight called to his partner. Finding the urgency in his voice, the champion called to the rest of their team and followed after their leader into shop, gathering the discarded bags.

"I'm sorry sir, but store policy dictates that we don't sell any damaged merchandise," a voice reasoned toward the back of the store.

"You do not understand. I have been searching for her as she belongs to my mentor. Ever since his absence, she too has gone missing and she must be returned. Whatever your price, I'm sure I can fulfill."

The group navigated the narrow aisles carefully to find Sibyll in front of a distressed clerk.

"Even if that were true, how could we verify your story?" the clerk defended.

"What's going on?" Jaune asked as he approached.

"This gentleman here came in and demanded that I sell him this antique doll!"

The clerk motioned over to the shelf behind him and team JNPR saw a life-sized articulated doll sitting idly. The doll's body was bare, but its figure was curved to that of a woman and having porcelain surface. Silver hair cascaded down its shoulders, fingers interlocked with each other, and its head drooping slightly. The face, however beautiful and serene, was marred as a portion appeared to be smashed in. A cracked and jagged hole looking into a hollow inside resides where the doll's right eye would have been.

"We don't know how it came into our usual stock, but we wouldn't be able to sell it due to its defects. But if it _is_ his, then he should be able to prove it. If he can, I can have him pay for the difference of delivery and maintenance."

"But you totally broke it mister!" Nora pointed out as the clerk shook his head.

"That was exactly how it arrived here. So, can you prove that this is yours?" he asked Sibyll.

The young hunter remained silent, his face struggling with something Jaune and his team couldn't place.

"If not, then I will have to ask you to leave—"

"Maria."

The clerk raised an eyebrow as the hunter explained further.

"At the base of the Doll's neck, there should be a name transcribed there. Maria was the first apprentice my mentor took in and after her departure made this doll in her memory."

Skeptical, the clerk moved the doll to check if Sibyll's claim was true. The man's eyes went wide as he returned to looking at the young hunter, and brought the doll carefully to the counter.

"I apologize sir, it seems that this doll is yours. We at the store don't mean to be skeptical but—"

"It is understandable," Sibyll spoke curtly as he placed down various lien without a second thought. Before the clerk could process his change, Sibyll took off his grey coat and carefully covered the doll's body and gingerly carried it into his arms.

"It is time to return home."

Jaune wasn't sure if Sibyll was addressing them, but he saw how focused the young hunter was as handled the doll's fragile body. It was strange, just how careful he acted with a lifeless object but understood the reason behind the sentimentality. Crocea Mors was a highly regarded relic of his family's past and he had taken it with him to fulfill that very purpose. As they followed him back to the airship, Chisa had taken her position back next to him with her questions inaudible to them.

"He was strangely adamant about that doll," Ren commented.

"Yup! But do people his age still play with dolls? How old is he anyways?" Nora added.

"I don't think that's the weird thing about all of this," Jaune added.

"How so?"

The knight turned to his partner and gestured to the young hunter ahead.

"How did he lose something as important as that? I mean, Ruby described him like he was a long way from home. If that's the case, then how is it that something very significant to his mentor ended up here? It's just… weird."

"Perhaps it was stolen and he sought to return it," Ren suggested, but Jaune shook his head.

"Ruby said that Sibyll was here for another purpose, but was looking for someone as well. If that someone is that doll, then we should be happy for him right?"

"I suppose, but where are you going with this Jaune?" his partner asked.

"Honestly? I really don't know. I just have this weird feeling about it. Like maybe there's more to it than we think and like Ruby, we should be careful."

All of JNPR looked back to the Sibyll and Chisa ahead, their mixed feelings one in the same.

* * *

"Come on, what would it take for me to have that phone call? I'm sure I can line your pockets with some lien for five minutes," a voice crooned behind the door. The man was met with sharp banging.

"Shut it Torchwick! Don't think you can butter up the guards here with empty promises! Ironwood provides a fair pay to the rest of the guards so cut it out or we'll cut it for you!"

Heavy footsteps stalked off in its patrol as Roman chuckled to himself. As if he would pay them anyways if they did help him, but he had to admit: the general certainly covered his ground in terms of maximum security. The criminal mastermind had been moved into one of Vale's maximum security prisons, and placed under isolation with Atlesian guards keeping watch. Were it any situation out of his hands, he would already have Neo kill them men and break him free.

But Cinder just had to make him wait, sitting pretty in a drab cell as she brought her plans to a close. He would keep the general's attention occupied whenever she signaled him to do so, but so much time had passed he suspected double cross. The only contact with the outside world was currently masquerading as another brat participating in their tournament, and Roman knew just how much his associate enjoyed satiating her sadistic tendencies. He would have pitied any of those sorry kids if they weren't training to become do-gooders who would step in his way.

Still, being Cinder's scapegoat was something he initially was against. He would have disagreed and suggest one of her own lackeys take his place until a fiery hand persuaded him otherwise. There's only so much time a distinguished gentleman like him can waste doing nothing while dressed in subpar prison uniform.

"I really hope you have something for me this time Neo," he muttered.

On cue, the Neapolitan themed associate came into presence as the world behind her shattered into glass. She gave him a curtsy, mocking his more well-groomed approach before he spoke.

"So, are we ready to move on to the next stage?"

She gave him a sinister smile, licking her lips as one of her chocolate colored eyes shifted to white.

"What do you mean there's a change in the plans?"

Neo merely laughed silently behind her hand, shrugging at the criminal. Roman sighed as he placed a hand on his associate's shoulder.

"Leave it to a woman to change her mind at the last minute. Come along Neo, she'll want us to make sure her party favors are in place for when the whole kingdom burns. Hopefully, you didn't leave too much of a mess this time."

Neo merely stuck her tongue out at Roman, before the world around them shattered once more and leaving the cell empty. Outside, the hallways was littered with the bodies of dead Atlesian guards, pinned to the wall and mocking positioned in a salute for the morning rotation to find.

* * *

 **A/N: Did you really think I'd forget about Torchwick? Nah, I have an interesting role for him to play as well as the rest of the cast.**

 **But down to business:**

 **Some of you have voiced your concerns over Yang's (and Weiss') overreaction and decisions in the comments, a few of you asking for her character death to arise. So far, all she's done is be overly antagonistic and distrusting to a stranger who poses a threat to the general public as well as her sister and teammate. In a sense, she can be considered completely out of character or even non canon to the actual RWBY story and...**

 **I get it. I totally understand where your concerns and distress are coming from.**

 **But I won't write her off or change any of the past chapters due to the fact that she is the contrarian of the group. Her distrust and overbearing protection can be seen as reasonably in an already irrational setting. Like the rest of them, Yang had opted to give Sibyll a chance in the earlier chapters when Ruby was spending too much time with him. She was willing to get to know him at her sister's request and that changes when Sibyll attacks Ozpin and Qrow in an accidental frenzy.**

 **Yang also saw the recordings of the fight itself, how someone as capable and strong as Qrow lost to someone as weak yet tenacious as Sibyll. No one in the RWBY verse has ever been openly introduced to the idea of a Hunter using another person's blood to heal and strengthen them (through the Doll). So when Ruby and her team is tasked with the assisting CFVY with bringing Sibyll under custody, Yang is given a moment to briefly investigate this stranger as well as realized his shake alliance to them or the White Fang. Sibyll even admitted that he was the cause for the Alpha Beowolf's change and the misfortune Addersfield and its people faced.**

 **When Blake is hurt and exposed to the Scourge of the Beast, it is only reasonable that she not trust the only person extended two solutions at the expense of her partner's life. As a result, Blake loses her faunus heritage and while it's no one's fault, fingers are being pointed. Pointed at Sibyll for being "responsible" for the change, pointed at themselves for not being able to protect their own. And when Ozpin, the sole authority of the Beacon Academy, has his hold over Sibyll chooses to instead work with the man responsible rather than punish him. Add to the fact that Ozpin even handed Blake over Sibyll, it serves to add more oil to the fire.**

 **Sibyll, by all intents and purposes, is guilty and responsible for a lot of grief and pain by merely existing, EVEN IF he was not actively responsible for it. And because of that, I needed Yang to be the one the MOST against Sibyll because she's also one of the most keen characters in the cast as well. We've seen this in her exchange with Blake when she was so focused on hunting down the White Fang.**

 **Yang is brash, occasionally arrogant and overconfident, but has her eyes and heart set on watching over the people she cares about. And while she doesn't see the whole picture yet, I wouldn't write her off simply because she appears to be irrational. Like the rest of them, Yang is left in the dark as to why Sibyll is even in their world and what role would be play if he's already hurt a lot of people. Her distrust of him is justified until the two of them decide to talk it out.**

 **I understand that many of you may consider this portion as "too long, didn't read" but I wanted to clear the air with the ones with concerns over Yang. I never try to write something unintentionally as Yang is the contrarian made to question the motivation of our protagonist. And that tension will dissipate someway somehow, just not right now.**

 **I hope this portion wholly addressed your concerns and as always, please leave any feedback in the comments or send me a message! I always try to answer them as best as I can!**

 **Thank you for your continued readership, and until next time!**


	15. With Acquaintances Like These

**A/N: I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and New Years! I know that this chapter may have been slightly longer to upload, but the quarter sprung up on me when I completely forgot about it. In any case, I'm planning to make some BIG announcements when the next chapter is posted. I'll be using the time in between (other than writing) to think very carefully about what is next in store, and it may change things for better or worse(?).**

* * *

 _Blake watched from a distance how the other children played, taking to the open field with reckless abandon as their laugher filled the air. The boys raced and tackled each other, wrestling one another on the grass while a few of the girl watched with disinterest. Rather, they had taken to having their own picnic, talking animatedly about something, or playing hand games with one another. Their sundresses were neat and clean, hardly anything out of place with the exception of the boys' roughhousing coming too close to them on occasion. All the kids from her class were there, playing with one another in their own social circles._

 _All of them were having fun…without her._

 _The feeling of envy continued to grow as she watched the boys pairing off into separate teams, their discussion devolving into an argument over uneven numbers. But this would be her chance._

 _If she could somehow win their favor, she wouldn't be excluded anymore. She can finally be one of them despite how… different she was. She could prove herself to her classmates and maybe make some new friends over a friendly game. Blake wouldn't have to be alone anymore, cooped up in her home because of how she was. From now on, she'll show them that she isn't any different and she's just like them._

" _I'll be on the other team!" she called out, leaving her spot from the tree line._

 _The children turned to her in surprise as she jogged to meet up with the boys, a few whispering among themselves._

" _I can help even the teams if you let me join you," she added as she stood before them._

" _You're not supposed to be here," one of the taller boys spoke._

 _Blake frowned, crossing her arms and trying to make herself just as tall._

" _Who says?"_

" _All our parents said so. Even Mister McCarthy doesn't let you play with us when lessons are over. If they find out, we're going to be in trouble so you_ _ **can't**_ _play with us."_

" _But they're not here_ _ **now**_ _," Blake clarified._

 _A few of the boys nodded and agreed that she should stay. The girls with them are too "fancy" to play races and Blake's presence would solve their problem. But the older boy shook his head and pointed back to the edge of the forest._

" _Get out of here. You're not even good enough to race anyways."_

 _At this, Blake was fuming with unbridled anger._

" _And how come I'm not good enough? I'm plenty good enough for a race!" she shouted._

" _Nuh uh! You're different than the rest of us! And the team that gets you will lose anyways!"_

" _No they won't!" Blake shouted once more. "I'm good enough to beat you and all the boys here! Unless you're afraid I'll beat you anyways!"_

 _The children around them hushed, a few "ooh's" slipping from their lips as Blake issued her challenge. Her eyes locked with the taller boy, his squinting with anger._

" _There's no harm in_ _ **one**_ _race so just get on with it!" a girl from the picnic circle called out._

 _All the boys turned to Marianne, inarguably one of the prettiest girls in class. With her hair as green as the grass, eyes like caramel candy, sun kissed skin with a dreamy voice, she gave Blake a nod of encouragement. She was always nice to her, sometimes staying behind to read a shared book or simply talk while the other children played. She was the only one who never made any effort to avoid Blake, but still kept neutrality from picking sides._

 _Still… Blake felt her heart flutter whenever their eyes met._

" _Are you really afraid to lose that much Harvey?" Marianne teased._

 _Harvey, the tall boy, merely sniffed as he took his place at the makeshift starting line._

" _To the trees and back. Don't cry if you fall halfway through…" he told Blake._

 _Blake took her position next to him. Everyone went quiet as another boy began the countdown, and at "go" both of them broke into a run. Blake could hear their cheers, mostly for Harvey, but a few urged her on. She could hear Harvey's breath alongside hers as they were halfway across the field to the tree line._

 _It felt good to run, to chase, to force herself to move other than a paced walk or stroll. Even as her heart thumped loudly in her chest in protest, she forced her tiring legs to move. She raised her hand to touch upon the bark, turning and sprinting back to the other children, still tied in position with Harvey. She would win and earn her place among them. With a last burst of energy, she pumped her legs to push harder and faster off the ground, gaining a slight lead. Muscles burned and ached, and she could hear Harvey slowly coming up to overtake her. All Blake needed was a few more paces and in a last ditch effort, jumped across the finish line into the throng of cheering children._

 _She could feel them cheer her name, congratulating her on beating one of the fastest boys in their circle. They clapped their hands on her back, ruffling her hair, and a few turned to tease Harvey over losing to someone so much smaller. Harvey chalked it up to beginner's luck, but gave Blake a firm slap on the back to convey a personal "well done". Even if the boy could be a bit too proud, Blake knew he wasn't a spoilsport._

 _Her eyes search for Marianne who beamed at him, curl of her smile setting Blake's heart ablaze with joy._

 _Yet the sentiment was short lived as Marianne's expression turned from worry into fear. Blake couldn't hear what she was saying or why a few of the boys raced back to town in such a hurry. She found it strange how quickly the ground came to meet her, or how she suddenly couldn't breathe. She could feel her body convulse, trying to get air into her lungs._

" _Not again…" Blake thought as she clutched at her chest._

 _She heard someone call her name, yet Blake remained on the glass as her breath tried to catch up with each gasp. Slender arms scooped her up into an embrace, a gentle hand resting over her chest._

" _Breathe me with okay? In. Out. In. Out," the voice spoke._

 _She could feel the vest against her back rise and fall, and Blake did her best to mimic those motions._

 _In, out._

 _In, out._

 _In, out._

 _Slowly her breath came back to her, coughing slightly as her body calmed itself. The arms wrapped itself around Blake, pulling her into a familiar embrace filled with relief and concern._

" _You silly child, why would you leave when you know you're sick?" the voice chided._

" _I just… wanted to play… and be like them… I want to… be normal… too…"_

" _But you pushed yourself too hard and look what's become of you."_

" _I'm sorry…"_

 _The voice sighed and turned Blake to face her. She couldn't make out the woman's face, but Blake knew it to be gently. Her long, golden hair cascaded down her shoulders that slumped with resignation._

" _You have to be careful," she said as she cupped Blake's face. "Don't run off like that again, okay Sibyll? I would hate to think what would happen if I wasn't here…"_

Blake shook herself awake, her eyes adjusting to the darkness in the room. She could hear Yang's snoring from above, the bed shifting slightly as her partner moved about. Weiss and Ruby slept silently as well, though the drapes around the reaper's bed would jostle slightly as she mumbled something in her sleep. Blake rested her head on her pillow, staring at the blank underside of the top bunk, thankful that the dream was over.

"Not another one," she said to herself as she rubbed the sleep away in her eyes.

There was a recurrence over the memories that weren't hers, dreams that seemed too real or involved yet believed in them anyways. She never knew when they would surface, but when they did she would always wake up in the same manner. His memories were always like that, startling her with just how familiar she felt with people she never knew. But how young must he have been in that dream? She could feel the frailty of his body, how much he strained over a simple action but it hurt to do so. The Sibyll she knew now moved with ease, barely sparing a breath when he dodged her attacks.

So what happened in those years between his youth and now?

Who was the woman who came to his aid?

Was it family? Or someone else entirely?

It reminded Blake of her parents, the gentleness of the woman's embrace and how carefully she handled a much younger Sibyll. The strange, almost familial warmth she felt remained with her as she lay in bed, a hand resting over her beating heart. She felt a sympathetic pat, as if consoling her, and her head tilted down to find her face in close proximity with a Messenger. The vacant eyes stared back as the white bow over its head bobbed slightly with each lull. In its hand was a rolled up message bearing a strange seal, intended for her.

Had she been prepared for it, Blake wouldn't have screamed as loudly as she did.

* * *

She staggered as Gambol Shroud missed its mark once more, her mentor being mindful of the wide arcs swinging around. She pulled on the taught ribbon as swung just above him, firing the gun to propel it towards his blindside. Just as the blade was about to meet its mark, Sibyll vanished completely and reappeared safely outside her weapon's reach. She grits her teeth in frustration, having not landed a single hit on him nor had he made any attempt to try and hit her. He would break into her guard only to quickly evade. If he was silently letting her know of all the openings she had, he was doing very well with jus that.

And that was another thing that bothered Blake.

During their "training sessions", her "mentor" had taken to _commenting_ about her progress. A "helpful" hint here, a reminding slash there, but Sibyll would always let her know of the mistakes she made before continuing on. Sometimes he would try to make small talk with her, asking about her day or her team, though the genuineness of his questions was debatable. And the occasional jokes were on par with Yang's, heavily dependent on witticism over her mistakes. Blake knew he was goading her to slip, but it never helped that he would always strike when she least expected.

Now, Sibyll remained eerily silent.

Swinging Gambol Shroud back into her hand, Blake shifts the weapon into its katana form as she dashes forward. Both curved blade and cleaver slash quickly and precisely, blackened steel hoping to land a hide as the young hunter angled his body away from the strike.

 _Swish, swish, stab._

 _Swish, slash, stab, swish._

 _Diagonal, horizontal, overhead, upward, downward with a curve towards his evading torso, or a midsection feint leading into a two pronged stab._

And all while she continued to miss, she saw just how "unusual" he was being. The young hunter's usually relaxed face had become more serious, brow furrowed in full concentration. His movements were more rapid, static in its pattern of breaching her defense and moving away, yet the energy spent was something he heavily advised against. She had felt it firsthand when she had tried to evade his onslaught of attack, only to find her body locking up in exhaustion. Without her aura, her own body was more susceptible to wearing down quickly and that was a lesson she learned the painful way. Yet here he was, expending a lot of unnecessary energy yet he still refused to strike.

Switching the katana back into kusarigama form, Blake fired off several shots in hopes of leading the young hunter into an opening. Sibyll dodged to stay a head of the gun's lead, his body dipping slightly.

" _There!_ " Blake thought as she sped forward, swinging both her blade down onto his vulnerable form. Sharpened edge merely inches away from striking him across the back before her eyes locked with his. Even when she was about to succeed, he didn't look surprised that she had led him where she wanted him. It was as if he was expecting her to do just that, and she heard the counter attack long before she felt it.

Sibyll's Evelyn fired off a quicksilver bullet from beneath his chest, obscured from the girl's vision at the angle of his body. Blake could feel the liquid metal tear into the flesh of her right shoulder, the impact enough to stagger her. Wracked with pain, she drops to her knees, weapons discarded with the intent of staunching the bleeding. One hand frantically reached for a blood vial fastened into one of her leather belts as the young hunter appeared before her. Orange eyes burned above her, and she could feel his fingers tear into the flesh of her abdomen.

She began to choke on a scream, her whole body set ablaze with pain as his arm dug further inside her. Feeble hands tried to push him arm, scratching at his face, but the young hunter persisted. The intrusive hand felt the familiar, pumping organ in its grasp and swiftly crushed it still. Blake's body shook, hanging onto the vestiges of her "life" as he ripped his arm free from the visceral opening. The young hunter's grey attire painted a sickly crimson, her blood, and Blake's body crumpled onto the grassy field. Her fading vision was filled with stained lilies, her consciousness slipping into darkness before…

She woke up startled, finding her body resting on the cobblestone path. Hands searched and felt across her stomach, finding no wounds beneath the shirt and grey vest. Like a "dream" it never happened and Blake forced her body to stand. Slowly making her way to the open field, she found Sibyll standing there in wait for her with her own grey coat and weapons in hand.

"Does it always feel like that?" she asked off handedly when he approached.

"Always," he answered.

And that was all he said as she took up her belongings and he left her behind for the direction of the workshop. Her eyes watched after him, taking notes of the large, stitched scars on the back of his long coat. She remembered the day Sibyll had thrown himself in the path of a Beowolf to protect her leader, and even from the height of the airship the attack looked gruesome. Blake put on her coat, sparing a stray thought as to why they were dressed the same, and followed after with weapons in tow.

Inside the workshop was a different affair entirely.

The one she had encountered in "the waking world", as he puts it, is the structural representation for the dream. Where Chisa and Sibyll reside, the space was furnished humbly with the atmosphere of a home. In the Hunter's Dream is where the workshop truly resides. Ancient books written in various languages filled some spaces of the shelves, the coffin resting below a shelf with various jars of crimson liquid, and beside the fire was where the workbench sat. Already were there various firearms and metal components taken apart, and on the shelf were a few jars containing something crystallized. Yet Blake's attention was drawn more towards altar at the far end of the room and the "company" sitting in a chair beside it. The Doll's limp body was dressed curiously, reminding Blake of a Gothic style she had encountered in a few of her books. White hair had been carefully tied back, tucked under a bonnet as a few stay locks hung over a cloth covered eye. Despite its neutral expression, it looked to be peacefully sleeping and remained undisturbed by Sibyll's movements within the workshop.

It certainly looked beautiful, despite the damage done to its right eye. She thought to herself how careful Sibyll had been around the thing. He went as far as to provide a blanket for it before they left for the Dream. Even his Messengers had taken a great liking to the thing, nestling themselves into the arms, or upon the shoulder. Blake bent down to observe the White Ribbon Messenger carefully rubbing its hand across the Doll's porcelain cheeks. It looked to be worried over the thing, yet then again all four of Sibyll's Messenger the same way. Did they always have to look like they were in pain? The White Ribbon Messenger spared Blake a vacant glance before returning to the Doll.

"Miss Belladonna," Sibyll called out.

She turns to find him standing behind her with a strange, three-pronged tool in his hands.

"I believe it is time for the final portion of your training," he stated while raising the tool for emphasis.

"And to think I was doing so terribly," Blake answered sarcastically.

"As far as new Hunters go, you are certainly par for the course."

There was no mirth in his tone, no hint of an awkward joke meant to break the tension. His earlier expression remained, more neutral than she would have thought, yet it was a first to find him so… distant. Even her less than subtle surprised look didn't faze him.

"Which is why," he continued, "this process will be of permanent help. These runes may not be as powerful as aura, but they will certainly aid you in tonight's mock hunt."

"A _mock_ hunt?" she asked.

"To see if you are capable on your own as a Hunter. While the Hunt for the Scourge is the work of many, it is also unwise to travel in large groups. Great numbers can mean restricted movement as well as alerting your prey of your presence. Sometimes the best solution is to hunt alone. Your professors may have discussed that with you in their lessons."

"Yes, but that's only if the situation is dire," Blake answered. "If we are ever separated during a fight or through travel I can understand, but never to assess the problem on our own. The Huntsmen and Huntresses that _do_ hunt alone are because they have had more experience in the field. Even then they tend work in pairs should the situation ask for it."

"Then the odds favor the Hunt more so than you. There is nothing wrong with relying on your partner or your team. Just be mindful that you are not the reason they face misfortune if you prove to be incapable."

Blake narrowed her eyes at the insult.

"What do you—!"

"Now if you would take a seat young miss, so that we may be underway," Sibyll cut her off as he guided her to the seat. A firm hand forced her to sit as the other placed the device against her forehead. "You are going to feel a great deal of unease as this part is going to be a bit… invasive. It would be advisable that you try and keep relaxed."

Her protests were halted as she felt the cold pieces of metal on her temple, Sibyll twisting the corkscrew piece further and further. The moment the center piece touched her skin, darkness filled her vision.

Weightless.

Without form.

Eyes seeing nothing in the abyss.

Only the sound of water could be heard within her mind. Swirling round and round, time moving backwards, waves crashing into one another before coming to calm. Strange lines began to form, shifting into two shapes, but they felt familiar to her. An old, dormant power… all within a strange, inverted symbol.

Blake slowly came to as the young hunter placed the tool on the altar. All her sensations felt sluggish, her body unable to respond in the way she wanted.

"You will feel well soon," Sibyll's voice echoed in her mind.

A sharp pain surged through her body, the source of it from the already reddening back of her hand. The dullness evaporated as she quickly clutched the sore hand to herself. Sibyll returned his Thread Cane to lean against the workbench.

"There, much better."

"You bastard!" Blake yelled as she stood.

"Yes, yes. You are angry with me, but there are other things to attend to," he stated as he loaded quicksilver bullets into a leather belts. "For now, the runes should be carved into your mind. So long as they remain, you will be more resilient and able to hunt more efficiently."

Having filled all twenty available slots, he tossed her the belts and watched as she fumbled to catch them.

"All you need to do now is accept your Messenger's Gift," he noted.

"How would they even help? No one but us can see them."

Sibyll folded his arms and fixed his eyes on her.

"Their primary purpose lies in their namesake. Should you wish to leave a message to another Hunter as a forewarning, they would be sent in your place. These creatures are not bound to the rules of your world, and your message would be immediate when things turn for the worse."

"It won't come to that," Blake scoffed.

"It will **always** come to that," the young hunter warned. "So it is best that you make good with them now, seeing as they provide more services here in the Dream. I have not been able to teach you the practices of quicksilver bullet crafting as we may not have the supplies to do so. If that is the case, you can exchange the blood echoes you earn from your prey for supplies."

She tilted her head to the side.

"These things run a shop too?"

Sibyll slowly ran a hand over his face, understanding why the girl would be doubtful of him. He motioned for Blake to follow, showing her the way to where the Bath Messengers reside. She watched how the many and complacent pale-faced creatures grew more excited as the young hunter stepped forward. Each one raised an item of interest, putting it forward in hopes of capturing his interest as Sibyll opened his hand before them. As he closed his eyes, murmuring voices and whispers poured forth from his mind in the form crimson colored smoke. Memories of from the Grimm and the afflicted were surrendered to the denizens of the abyss. The Bath Messengers gathered the echoes eagerly, and in return Sibyll received a Pungent Blood Cocktail.

He uncorked the bottle, bringing it close to his face to take in its odor. How something so vile and fresh was produced from the abyss continued to remain a mystery for the young hunter.

Blake was both repulsed and enticed by the cocktail's aroma, stirring something deep within her. There was a thirst she had never felt before when her eyes fixated on the bottle itself. Red liquids swirling, churning, coursing all throughout her body and it would fill her with a sense power. But how did she know that?

"Now you," Sibyll spoke as he corked the bottle.

Snapped out of her unusual attention to the bottle, Blake stepped forward and extended her palm to the Messenger. Yet many of the Messengers began to descend into the bath's murky depths, taking with them their items, and left behind a single Messenger. The creature rested its head on a propped up hand, looking up at the girl with… disinterest? Eyes widening with surprised, she turned to young hunter who continued to watch.

"Did they just dismiss me?" she asked him.

"They do not recognize you as a Hunter yet. Hopefully tonight that can change," Sibyll answered. He reached up to his collar, pulling out the Crow Hunters Badge that hung around his neck. She studied it for a moment before he tucked it away.

"While your Messengers will remain loyal to you, the others tend to be more reserved. Badges like these are a testament of one's skill and will earn the respect of the Bath Messengers. Or perhaps they will take a liking to you if they knew you have accepted their gifts."

He nodded behind her, and Blake turned to find "her" Messengers waiting from a distance with gifts in hand. She was still wary of them, even as she approached and knelt down to their level. In their hands were two firearms she was "familiar" with: an old fashioned pistol and blunderbuss. The blunderbuss made up for its lack of range and power with a wide spread, staggering her often when he had "shown" her. The pistol was more familiar and she reached out to take the handle. The unusually large sized proved weighty in her grasp as she tested the reload mechanism; the barrel would snap open, allowing for her to insert a bullet directly. Snapping it shut, she saw how "excited" her Messengers have become as they disappeared into the ground… only to reappear with more weapons.

"They're pretty eager to please," Blake noted as the Messengers held onto bladed weapons.

"Such is their nature. They wish for you to be prepared for your Hunt and will do their best to be of use to you. It is why all Hunters must be acquainted with them or amiable if you have a change of heart."

"If you say so," the raven haired girl answered. Yet looking over the bladed weapons (an axe, a folded cleaver, and a cane), she was still confused as to _why_ they would present her with them. She already had Gambol Shroud and to try and learn a different weapon style so late would only hinder her further. She knew her weapon had enough versatility within her comfort zone of close and mid-range combat.

"Which would you suggest?" Blake asked anyways. She would humor her Messengers for now in hopes that accepting their gifts would give her space from them.

"Considering your style, the Threaded Cane may be more suitable to your needs. It is not the most damaging of weapons, but the serrated whip certainly boasts speed and range over power."

She hummed in affirmation as she took up the cane, turning it about in her hand. It was heavy, given its metal construction, but it felt evenly balanced. She felt the concealed switch below the handle and gave it a squeeze. A sequence of loud clicks resounded through the weapon but it made no move to change, remaining inert in the girl's hand.

"Give it a good flourish. These weapons transition manually and will take some getting used to," Sibyll advised. Following his words, she swung the cane and brought about its snakelike form in the air above her. Blake tested a few more swings, her eyes watching as the interlinking pieces expanded and contracted along the flexible wire. And the bladed pieces would always retract after each swing, piquing her interest further. Without his aid, she slammed the end of the cane onto the cobblestone path and locked the weapon in its primary form. She had seen him doing many times before, yet still questioned how an admittedly basic weapon functioned.

"It is good to see you are comfortable with it. May I?" the young hunter asked. He placed his hand forward to receive the cane and she surrendered it to him.

"When you return by nightfall, I will have improved your weapon for your assessment. Until then Miss Belladonna," Sibyll stated. He placed a hand over his heart, bowed, and turned to workshop. As the doors closed behind him, Blake simply stood unable to respond at another dismissal. He was beginning to distance himself from her ever since he brought the doll back to his workshop. She began to think there was something more to the porcelain thing than she thought before another stray thought took hold.

" _Does he know about us and Raven? He couldn't have..._ "

She knew firsthand that he was more perceptive than he let on. It was why she hated the initial start of her "training", choosing first to refuse it altogether. Sibyll hadn't been forceful with the idea, going as far as to acknowledge that she already possessed a degree of skill. But he began to point out how _**fragile**_ she was when she _**had**_ aura. They were things that only Adam or Ruby would know about her and Sibyll was using it against her. His pointed observation about her cowardice, the lack of any conviction in her ideals, and the inherent weakness from "such spineless semblance" were enough to set her over the age. Yet her fury peaked when Sibyll, in a blatant attempt sound nonchalant, questioned her will to live for her "family" as an excuse to escape death. He hadn't been able to finish his accusation as Blake struck out at him with a flurry of blows, none of which landed successfully.

Sibyll had picked on her insecurities, her weaknesses, as a means for provocation and it worked. The calm and reserved demeanors turned wild and only after the fact did Blake realize _why_ he had done it. Every remark was meant to break her already stringent reservations about her condition so they could work on rebuilding the basics. One's aura could last as long as the person's will but without it? Blake knew she would feel every cut and bruise earned as a Huntress. From the moment she awoke in that bullhead, every fight would be a fight to the death on her part.

Everything he had done was to her benefit, even if he was unrelenting in doing so. Even as some of his memories continued to drift in and out of her own, Blake knew that Sibyll tried to be  
"sociable" to an extent.

So why the sudden shift? Why distance himself now, unless he found out? Did Jaune say anything by accident? It couldn't be, knowing the poor boy would apologize over such a misstep. Before Blake could think any further, she felt the back of her hand knocking on the workshop's door. From inside, she could hear footsteps approach and unlock the door between them.

" _He even locked me out,_ " Blake thought as Sibyll peered through the small opening.

"Oh, you are still here?" the young hunter asked. "I thought you had classes to attend to in the morning. Did we go over our usual time?"

"No, that's not it," she answered. Although Blake made a mental reminder to ask him of an alternative means of contact. Having his Messengers wake her to early in the morning, and uncomfortably upfront, wasn't something she needed. The rest of her team still questioned her as to what exactly she and Sibyll were seeing that they couldn't. Her attempt at an explanation still left them with more doubt than necessary.

"Then what seems to be the trouble Miss Belladonna?" the young hunter asked.

That… was something she had yet to figure out. She couldn't outright ask him if they knew of Raven's mission or of their constant watch of him throughout the day. If Sibyll were to start distancing himself now, surveillance over him would prove only more difficult.

"Is everything alright?" Blake blurted out. She believed anything would be a good start.

Sibyll watched her through the door's opening, before sighing deeply.

"Are you genuinely concerned?"

She was surprised by his question as he opened the door a little wider. It was at this that his hardened expression changed. To Blake, his downcast eyes looked more troubled than suspicious. His focus seemed elsewhere, never really regarding her as something else had taken precedence.

Struggling to come up with an answer, he continued in her stead.

"I ask because I am aware of your team's distrust of me," he explained. "With the exception of Chisa, I know that I am… not anyone's preferred company. Even Mister Arc seemed to feel uneasy around me as is his team. So forgive me if I am surprised by such a question."

"You just seem different lately… that's all," Blake answered.

"Ah, is that so…"

Sibyll turned to look into the workshop behind him, before returning to Blake.

"No, they are not Miss Belladonna," he answered. "But that will be something to discuss when _**you and your team**_ come by tonight. Now, off you go. Class attendance is a must and I would not want your partner to be anymore furious with me than she already is."

With a slight nod, he closed and locked the door to the workshop. Blake turned and made her way down the path to the headstone that would take her back to Beacon. His words stayed with him as she stood before the slab of rock, reaching her hand out into the abyss. The world of the Dream began to slip away, her vision blurring into darkness before it began to take form. Her feet touched upon solid ground and her surrounds were now a basement under the other workshop. The lantern which she held her hand out to continued to glow in a dreamy, lilac light. At the base were her Messengers, praying to the lantern… or was it her they were praying to? They were bowed in prayer but occasionally would look up to her with empty eyes. Shaking off the idea, the climbed the wooden step and opened the trapdoor into the open space.

The homely furniture proved to be a great cover for someone as noticeable as Sibyll. Should anyone decide to intrude, they would only find a simple home with books beginning to line their shelves and photographs hanging on the walls. Sibyll had told her once in passing that the photos were precious to the young girl, and leaving it would be unjust. He even went as far as to replace the frames of the broken few, so that they would also hang proudly. They were memories in physical form, something that Blake could not admit to having. Her attention returned to the Doll, still in the same posture yet across from it was new, albeit it sleepy, company.

Chisa had moved one of the other arm chairs to sit across from the Doll, taking with her a warm blanket to sleep under. Blake frowned, knowing the young girl was asleep when she had arrived so early in the morning. But to find her here, curled up and lying in wait, was something Blake didn't expect. Chisa's blue ears flick unconsciously, leaving a pang of hurt within Blake. Reaching up to the dropping ribbon atop her head, she questioned why she continued to bother with such a thing. There was nothing to hide now, given how well she masked her Faunus heritage now. She never faced any discrimination like Velvet or the other faunus students, and went about her business unbothered. It would have been a brief respite from the world, yet here she stands envious of another.

Blake reached out and gently rubbed the young girl's ears, molding the familiar sensation into her hands as best as she could. Chisa, in her sleepy state, leaned into the older girl's touch. A smile crept up on her face, and she in a sense of satisfaction mumbled out.

"Papa…"

Blake paused in her ministrations, taking a moment to genuinely look over the girl who had lost everything. And yet she slept so naturally, carefree, and unguarded in a small home residing in the Emerald Forest. Professor Port had once mentioned in a lecture how difficult it is for someone to live outside the walls alone, having to depend heavily on the security of settlements and towns. Those who try to strike it on their own never last long, but this "workshop of a home" defy those claims. Never had she seen any Grimm come within the area despite how minimal the defenses were. Any sizeable Grimm could have torn the place apart single handedly, but this place remains untouched.

A "Blood Hunter" and a little girl living in a dangerous forest on their own?

It was strange to say the least. Blake picked up the sleeping girl, blankets and all, and took her to the room shared between her and Sibyll. Single beds rested on opposite ends with a huge contrast between them in terms of personal decor. Chisa's side looked normative for a young girl, the occasional Grimm plushy and childish drawings. Her bedside table was stacked with various books, oddly with more manga than she figured. As for Sibyll, his space remained devoid of anything describing him aside from a few borrowed and bought books. The wall on his side of the room also held a few of Chisa's drawings, but Blake suspected the young girl had done it on her own.

Blake placed Chisa onto her bed, drawing up the duvet snugly around her, and silently left the sleeping girl with the door slightly ajar. Through the windows she could see the morning about to reach its peak, giving her about an hour before classes would start. She would still need to change out of her clothes and into her uniform, but hopefully by then Yang would be docile (sleepy) enough to have a peaceful breakfast between their and Jaune's team.

"… _not anyone's preferred company…_ "

His words continued to hang in her mind as she closed the door to the workshop behind her, and started her trek back to Beacon.

" _Is that how we've made you feel?_ " her own thoughts asked.

* * *

Sibyll waited for Blake to leave, keeping a sharp ear out for her exit from the Dream. When he heard her Messengers gurgle and moan, guiding her back to the waking world, he released his held breath and rested his head against the door. He had been taken by surprise from her sudden inquiry, and was caught between honesty and aversion. There was no need to lie about his current distress and maybe confiding in her would be the first step into earning her trust. He knew his reputation with Beacon and three of its teams did not fare well, but surely…

He shook his head. Sibyll placed Blake's cane against the door, sorting out his various thoughts.

Sibyll had already given a fairly honest answer despite its ambiguity. It came with the acceptance that the problems he would face would be best taken on alone. It would be better that way, leaving minimal casualties of any bystanders if he treaded more carefully. He would teach Miss Belladonna the methods of the Workshops, borrow her aid until his work was over, and return her to her team. Hopefully by then, they could stop whoever threatened this world with the introduction of the Scourge and then…

And then what?

He never thought much further than that. Maybe there was something that could explain Gehrman's sudden disappearance and Sibyll could restore the Dream to its proper condition.

" _Is everything alright?"_ a voice called from behind.

…almost proper condition…

Sibyll turned to find the Doll standing behind him, hands clasped together nervously even if her blank expression didn't show it. The young hunter's Messengers sat upon her shoulders, still affectionate upon her return. The young hunter was at least thankful that they were able to find her in passing, their bond to the Doll alerting them of her presence. It had taken him some time to "wake" her in the Hunter's Dream, discovering that a physical anchor was not enough to sustain her. It was only when he shared a bit his blood with the Doll, allowing a few crimson drops to fall into her body, did her manifestation come to form.

Her cream colored eye watched him impassively, and he couldn't help that his gaze wandered to the covered part of her face.

" _Have I done something to trouble you?"_ the Doll asked.

"Never," he answered.

He carefully guided her to the seat, taking up another to place in front of her. Gingerly, he lifted the cloth over her broken eye and saw into the same darkened interior of the being before covering it.

"Does it hurt?" Sibyll asked with concern.

" _I don't believe so. I am not sure if I can feel anything in particular. Is that… strange?"_

"A little… but do you really not remember me? Gehrman or the other Hunters?"

" _I'm sorry…This is the first time meeting you. The others do not come to mind."_

At this, the young hunter buried his face into his hands. The one good sign of progression remains to be damaged or changed completely ever since that presence invaded the Dream. If he had known this would have happened to her, he would have stayed. He would have helped Gehrman in his fight, despite the Old Hunter's protests if it meant he could preserve the Dream and the Doll. Just when she finally returns, and she isn't the same. Her gentle nature remained but the memories of him were gone to her. The same Doll, but different. Porcelain fingers held his, and he looked up to find her leaning forward.

" _Can I help ease your sorrows?"_ she asked.

Same, yet different. Or was she still the same Doll overall? Her hands reached for his face, a smooth thumb caressing his cheek as he leaned further into yet. Yes… she was still here, even if she was different. The comfort she provided brought about many memories to reminisce, those moments of reprieve in her company. When the Hunt proved to be too much, he would escape to the Dream to find her. His only remaining friend in such a detestable world he contributed to.

"Another time," he answered. "For now, it is best that I tell you that you have a very important role to play here. I will do my best answer all your questions, but for now, allow me to show you around the Dream."

He stood, offering an escorting arm to her. The Doll took his arm into hers as he began to lead her out of the workshop.

" _What is your name good sir?"_

"Sibyll. And I am a Hunter which serves to work with you."

" _Oh… and do you know mine?"_

"…Maria. Your name is Maria."

* * *

"That will be all for today students. Remember, those of you participating in the tournaments have been assigned your preliminary dates. I expect you all to train hard and conduct yourselves accordingly," Professor Goodwitch finished.

Ruby sighed as her and the other students got up to leave. She was still feeling sore from their three-on-four match against Team CRDL, and managed to pull a victory at the very last minute. It didn't deter the other student from murmuring about the odd sparring set up as Blake watched her team from the side. Each of Goodwitch's lessons ended up in the same manner, under Ozpin's strictest discretion. If they were to fight as a team, Blake's lack of aura on the scanners would send unneeded rumors and speculation. Blake was then permanently benched, left only to spar within their team or with Sibyll in the odd hours they would meet.

But the young reaper knew Blake had been under more stress, a good portion from their reluctant training. She even started to look more worn down as the days followed. They had asked if Sibyll's training was tiring her out, but the raven haired girl denied it, stating that she had more than enough time to rest in the Dream. She even admitted to finishing a few long term assignments the same day it was assigned, leaving the rest of them (mostly Weiss) behind in academics. Other than that, Ruby couldn't help but feel worried for her teammate as she watched Blake fidget nervously with the ribbon in her hair. It grew even worse as she watched Sun approach Blake, trying his best to see how she was doing. If she was withdrawn before, Blake was more withdrawn now.

"It's still that bad huh?" Neptune spoke up next to Ruby.

"We're doing out best to support her. Things are kinda… you know… hard."

"Weiss said as much… And Yang?"

Ruby glanced over to her sister who was busy talking to Nora and Pyrrha.

"Still the same, stubborn Yang," Ruby answered. "She may not look like it, but she can hold a really mean grudge sometimes. Dad says it's something about 'a dragon's poor temperament' but she'll come around soon… I hope."

"Well… classes are finished for the day. Maybe an early dinner would lighten the mood? Sun's been just as stir crazy and I think eating with everyone should do some good," Neptune said as he nodded over to his partner.

Ruby nodded enthusiastically, hoping a more relaxed atmosphere could bring everyone's spirits up. She called to her team, letting them know of their plans to eat dinner together, and was met with mutual agreement. They exited the training arena, each team pairing off into separate groups. Jaune and Ruby had made small talk with the newly introduced Sage and Scarlet, whom, despite their intimidating looks, were friendly. Yang had taken up to talking about combat strategies with Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora, with the hammer maiden's answers always resulting in "bigger explosions". Weiss and Neptune were left to accompanying a silent Blake and a nervous Sun, doing their best to casual.

As they exited the building, Ruby took in the sight around them filled with parents, children, and visitors from the other kingdoms. For a moment, things were normal within Beacon Academy. There were no worries over Torchwick, the White Fang, or the Festival's month long delay. Everyone around her looked forward he the tournament and those representing their home kingdoms; everyone's attention was now on who would take the title of Champion this year. Ruby looked back to Pyrrha, wondering if a four time Mistral Regional Tournament winner would have any trouble making it to the finals. Goodwitch had explained how the Vytal tournament would go, starting with four man teams and continually dividing them by have through election.

Would her team be able to participate if Blake couldn't even join them during in class spars?

It would be something for Ruby and the rest of her team to ask when they could, but the sounds of distress caught their attention.

"Let go of me! I didn't take anything from you!"

"Please do not act ignorant of your actions."

"Sibyll! Stop!"

Ruby's head snapped toward the direction where a group of people began to gather. She looked to her team who had given her a mixed reception of soured (Weiss and Yang) and confused (Blake) looks. She waved for them to follow as she broke into a run, making her way through the mass of bodies to find Sibyll's hand firmly holding onto Emerald's wrist. Chisa was tugging worriedly at the young hunter's "professor coat", trying to coax him into calming down but her words fell on deaf ears. Trying to mediate them was Mercury, doing his best to placate his angered partner and intrusive stranger. They had met the duo on several occasions, sometimes sharing a class or two with them, but Ruby only knew them from their brief encounters. To find them in an altercation with Sibyll wasn't a good thing…

"Let's just calm down," Mercury spoke as he tried to stand in between them. "We didn't mean to bump into you, but you can't seriously believe we took anything from you."

"If that were the case, I would not be so adamant this," Sibyll answered. His faced returned mint haired girl, his face holding neither anger nor spite. From where Ruby stood, he looked more annoyed if anything.

"Alright people, break it up!" Yang called from behind Ruby. "Huntsmen and Huntresses (in training) are here to resolve this! Go back to your business!"

As she waved them away, the crowd began to disperse before she could fix Sibyll with a surly glare. The young hunter in question sighed, wondering if his day would continue to be filled with more situations of a similar nature.

"What are you doing here?" Yang asked, her hair glowing slightly.

"Your headmaster summoned for some private matters. I was on my way there before this young lady picked my pocket. She took something very important to me and I would like it back."

"Like I said, I didn't take anything from you!" Emerald shouted as she tried to pull her hand back. Sibyll leaned forward, his face inches away from her, as crimson eyes looked back defiantly. She recoiled from the closeness and tried to struggle out of his grasp which he finally did.

"If you wish to remain so petulant about your crime, I suppose I shall take this as my compensation," the young hunter stated as flicked his wrist. From his sleeve came a small, silver box which he held in front of Emerald's eyes. Pulling it back towards him, his fingers worked the top of the box, revealing it to be a dust lighter.

"I never assumed you to be one who smokes. Perhaps I was mistaken?"

Frantically, she searched her own pockets and came to a realization she never expected.

"You! You stole from me and you have the nerve to call me a pick pocket! Give that back!" she screamed at him, trying to swipe at the lighter. The young hunter's hands proved to be much quicker, moving just around of her finger's reach.

"Is it _really_ yours?" he questioned, his expression clearly showing his doubt.

"Of course it's mine! I had it with me before **you** stole it!"

"Strange… it does not seem to bear the insignia on your back. The one here surely belongs to someone else. Another victim of your quick fingers perhaps?"

While Emerald's silence could be taken as surprise by the other students, she was frantically searching for any excuse as to why she has _Roman Torchwick's_ lighter. She had picked his pocket out of spite, the cocky criminal thinking he could be slack under Cinder's order. It had been a lesson on her part, a subtle warning to remind him of his place, and kept it a trophy. For it to be compromised here and now, with Team RWBY in their presence, would spell too much trouble. They were already looking at her with suspicion, and falling under their radar would not put her on Cinder's good side. But to cause a commotion now was playing it too close to the chest, and she had to create any diversion as best as she could.

"I-It belongs to someone close to me!" Emerald created on the spot. "My sister gave it to me, as a good luck charm."

"And can your 'sister' prove your claim?"

"If she did, she would have already kicked the habit years ago…"

From her peripherals, Emerald could the group of teens already buying into her story. The young leader of RWBY seemed to be the one who believed it most, looking incredulously at infuriating man with the kid. A bit of drama or a sob story and people will eat it up like the saps they were. If they were on the verge of believing her, Emerald knew she could get away with it. It was because of this thought that she believed she could have gotten away with something substantial to bring back to Cinder about the man they were to observe. Any information about him would have been helpful in gaining a better understanding, perhaps a wallet or something more personal.

" _What sort of idiot keeps a gem in his pockets anyways? He was asking for it!_ " she thought to herself.

"I do not believe that is the case," he answered. Emerald's eyes grew wide at the statement, as did the other teens around him.

"You wanna try that again?" Yang warned.

"If I must," Sibyll consented, before turning to Emerald. "You see, long before our paths crossed, I noticed that you carried yourself different than he crowd around you."

He began to walk around the mint haired girl, his eyes scanning her in appraisal.

"Normally at these sorts of events, one's attention would be toward the festivities and that creates an undue blindness of the surroundings. Especially in a place so well guarded and monitored as this academy, who would dare think to rob a person in broad daylight? Surely, money may occasionally be misplaced or dropped, but never the important things. If Man and Faunus are creatures of habit, then they also suffer from the illusions of security."

Sibyll stopped abruptly in front of the girl, reaching out to tilt her face up to his.

"You, on the other hand, were more conscious of the people around you. You were focused on reading their expressions, their openings, and the subtle twitch of your fingers told of practiced hands. Your casual gait would be enough to blend in, but those eyes of yours… They betray your intentions. I left myself open to see if my observations were wrong, that perhaps I have grown biased over my travels. And you did not disappoint young miss."

Emerald's face turned scowled at his tense expression, knocking his hand away in defiance.

"Is that true Em?" Yang asked cautiously.

All eyes turned to her, carefully regarding her in her cornered state. Not even Mercury could help if the man Cinder had tasked them with observing was too keen for their liking. She never allowed herself to be cornered by any other person, but here she was at the mercy of a suspicious crowd.

"Ohoho~! There you two are!" a melodic voice called from the distance. Everyone turned to find a diminutive girl, dressed in black frilled shirt and short skirt, approach them in a hurry. Her black hair, tied up in twin tails with white ribbons, bounced with each step as she stopped alongside Emerald and Mercury.

"I can't believe you two left me behind! Do you have any idea how long it took me to find you guys?" the small girl complained. She looked between the two partners, whose shocked expression was lost on the rest of the group. Before either of them could eek out a word, the girl turned to Sibyll, stark green eyes studying him before she broke out into a smile.

"I didn't think Beacon professors still dressed like that. You're behind a few a centuries," she teased.

Sibyll's expression changed into a smirk, chuckling lightly as he bent down a bit to her level.

"I have been told as much, but no, I am not a teacher of this academy. I am only visiting, and happened across your…companion here," he answered, nodding towards Emerald. "Still, I did not expect her other teammate to be so…"

"Short?" the girl finished for him, as if expecting the answer.

She continued to hold her "smile", yet Emerald and Mercury knew of the danger behind Torchwick's second in command. Cinder had expressly warned them to be cautious when around the illusionist, whose _talkative_ disguise was more daunting than her signature silence. Despite her small frame, the disguised Neopolitan proved more capable and lethal at close combat than Emerald and Mercury combined. If that weren't enough, the mint haired girl shivered over how sadistic the illusionist could be, taking a slow and painful approach to wearing down her enemies. And the last time a White Fang member made a passing remark about her height… They never found the body and it left a bad taste with the White Fang from then on.

"I was going to say familiar."

"Well I don't believe we've ever met before~!" Neo noted, crossing her arms.

"No we have not, but you do remind me of someone I once knew. She shares your light heartedness as well."

"Ohoho~! A woman huh? If I remind you of her, then she must be really _gorgeous~_!"

"Exceedingly so."

"Was she any good?"

"If we are talking about her skill, then surely the scars I still have should confirm your suspicions."

"Scars from _battle_ or in **bed**?"

"Which do _**you**_ think?"

Silence.

There was a stunned silence as RWBY, JNPR, SSSN, Mercury, and Emerald simply watched as the young hunter maintained eye contact with the diminutive woman. Yang, for the first time, had her anger rapidly dissipate with what she was seeing as her teammates shared the same embarrassed thought. Jaune and Nora's visible expression were on opposing spectrums (pure shock and pure glee) while their partners remained composed in their surprise. The collective men of SSSN hummed in general male approval over the display of confidence, Mercury giving a confused nod of recognition, while Emerald was thoroughly repulsed. Chisa's ears twitched about in confusion, unsure of what was being said around her.

"How do you get scars in bed?" Chisa asked as she tugged on Sibyll's sleeve.

"Plenty of tossing and turning," Sibyll quickly answered. "She was one who slept with a dagger in hand, and occasionally would lash out in her dreams. Such are the ways of Hunters little one."

Chisa nodded, feeling more confident about understanding the things she never did. Privately, the young girl thought it was terrifying to be a hunter, sleeping with something dangerous at hand.

Neo, taken back by the nature of his answer, laughed openly, clutching at her sides as she doubled over. There was pleasantness to the voice, charming from the interwoven giggles that would surface, and she did her best to stifle it from behind her hand.

"You're really strange, you know that?" she continued to tease.

"Was it that apparent? To think I was doing such an exemplary job of hiding it," Sibyll noted.

"Oh~ but I don't think it's all too bad."

Neo had taken the initiative to pull on his collar, their faces just inches apart. The young hunter could smell something sweet on her breath, cold with a mixture of other scents, and for a moment the colors of her eyes seemed to change. A brief hint of pink and white, but perhaps he was just seeing something.

"But I can be quite **dangerous** you know…"

The lull of her voice, the underlying threat of her words sent shivers down Emerald and Mercury's back.

"You underestimate my tenacity," the young hunter answered.

He carefully removed her hands from his coat, allowing a brief moment for his thumb to gently stroke her slender fingers. The illusionist granted him an impressed smirk, tilting her head slightly to expose smooth contours of her neck.

"After all this, and I never got your name," she noted.

"Sibyll," the young hunter answered.

"Sylvia." Neo replied giving his hand a quick squeeze.

From the side, the spectators were murmuring among themselves at the… bold display presented to them. Ruby, whose face had taken on several scarlet shades, was trying to interrupt the atmosphere and address the previous incident but to no avail. Jaune, sharing the same red expression, felt Neptune nudge his side and asked the knight if there any books on such a degree of skill.

"He can't be serious," Weiss whispered to the rest of the spectators.

"Oh, I think he's plenty serious," Scarlet muttered back.

"And _this_ is the guy who's… training you?" Sun asked the raven haired girl. "Because the guy you girls talked about and the one we're seeing doesn't feel the same."

"It's him alright…"Blake answered before giving a not so subtle cough.

Sibyll turned to find the watching teams and released the illusionist hands after clearing his throat.

"In any case, perhaps you can convince your teammate to return what is rightfully mine."

Sylvia (Neo) slowly turned to the mint haired girl, hands on her hips, cheeks puffed, and a dangerous gleam in her eyes which the young hunter couldn't see.

"Emmy," the illusionist began, "what did we say about picking pockets?"

"W-Wait! What?" Emerald answered back, taking a step back.

"The captain expressly said for you to behave, remember? What is she going to do if she found out you're causing all sorts of trouble again?" Sylvia (Neo) warned.

"And you!" the short woman spoke, turning directly to Mercury. "You're supposed to watch over her, Murky! She's your partner for a reason and you know her best!"

Mercury, unsure how to respond to Neo's approach to helping them out (if she was helping), nodded in apologetically as he turned to his partner.

"Come on Em, give it back."

"But I didn't—!" the girl tried to protest.

" _Emerald Sustrai, you_ _ **will**_ _return what you stole_ _ **right now**_ ," Sylvia (Neo) warned.

While her voice remained lilting to the rest of the crowd, Emerald could hear the sharpness of her threat within her thoughts. The promises of a deliberately slow pain should she continue to create problems for them and Cinder. Slowly, she pulled out the tearstone and handed it back to the young hunter.

"Here," she grumbled as Sibyll to the stone and placed it in his breast pocket.

"We're really sorry about her," Sylvia (Neo) spoke. "She's a handful with her kleptomania, but she's really a good girl. I hope you can forgive all of us and not report this to anyone. We've trained really hard for the tournament and we don't want to miss our chance this year."

"Of course," Sibyll answered with a heavy sigh. "It is water under the bridge. And this may be yours as well?"

Upon seeing the lighter, Neo's eyes quickly recognized Torchwick's symbol and turned to Emerald as her fury was made **very** clear to the girl.

"Emmy, we get it. You like the captain **a lot** , but stealing her stuff would only push her away."

"I-I-I…"

"Come on, we have to get back and explain everything," the illusionist said pulling on a flustered Emerald with Mercury in tow. "And I'll be sure to let our captain know of your generosity! She may want to thank you personally!"

Sibyll gave a short wave to the departing trio, seeing them disappear into crowd. He could still feel everyone's eyes upon him, gauging his next actions as he turned to the three teams. Feeling that Sylvia was far enough from them, he left out a withheld breath, giving them all a look of pure relief.

"By the gods was that nerve wracking. For a moment, I thought I would have made a fool of myself," the young hunter finally admitted.

"Wait, you were **nervous the whole time**?" Jaune couldn't help but blurt out.

"Of course I was," Sibyll replied as if it was natural of him. "Above all else, conversations were never my forte and thought it to be important to improve. Was… that a poor display?

"A poor display? **A POOR DISPLAY!?** " Nora's voice broke through the group as she elbowed her way through. She stood in front the young hunter, shaking with energy as her hooked an harm around his neck.

"That…was… **AMAZING**! I mean, look at you being all flirty and all _'how you doin'_ and she's all _'you can't handle a bad girl'_ and then you're all _'baby, I can grapple you eights ways to Sunday'_ and then she's all—"

Sibyll looked over to the other teams, hoping they were able to translate what the hammer maiden's escalating recounting.

"What I believe Nora is trying to say is that you carried yourself with a degree of confidence," Ren spoke, successfully cutting Nora's dialogue from progressing any further. "For someone who believes he is incapable of talking to people properly, you carried yourself fine. Even if it does appear 'flirty' to the rest of us."

"…Did I appear to be flirtatious?" Sibyll asked.

"Well duh! I mean, were you _trying_ to have a **normal** conversation by coming on that strong? You're just lucky that she was really~ into it, or that she didn't call the cops on you!" Nora shouted gleefully. She had taken a spare moment to nudge Jaune at his side, nodded over to the young hunter as if to say _"go ask for pointers"_ to which Jaune profusely refused.

"I was not aware that I made such bold advances… I meant to make light conversation after introducing myself, but would not dare presume any more."

"You're joking right?" Weiss asked. The heiress refused to believe that he was just another oblivious idiot (Jaune internally flinched) and was merely trying to downplay his scandalous display. Ruby had decided to add in to her partner's support, face still flushed with bystander embarrassment.

"Sibyll, most guys don't talk to girls like that unless they're… you know, interested in them."

Sibyll rubbed his chin in thought, nodding in agreement.

"I understand… Perhaps this was not the best material to improve my conversing skills," Sibyll admitted as he pulled out a black leather book from his bag. "My mentor highly recommended it for socializing, as did many other Hunters, but I may have misread its intentions. Are these customs not culturally transferrable to other regions or is this a personal problem?"

Lifting the book and opening to a certain page, the crowd of teens was able to decipher the faded and worn title of the book.

"How…"

"…to…"

"…Pick…Up…"

"…Fair…"

"Maidens."

Their collective gaze returned to Sibyll as his brow furrowed in reading the book. _This_ was the book he was using to better his "conversation skills"? And if he was, how could his conversation with Sylvia fair so well as a result of a **pick up book** , the group of teens collectively thought. Finding no satisfactory explanation, the young hunter sighs and closes the book, tucking it under his arm.

"I must take my leave. I fear that I am already late for the meeting as it is," he stated before offering his hand to Chisa.

"Oh! Oh! Can we watch her while you're gone!?" Nora asked, pointing enthusiastically. Chisa, sensing another bout of dread, hid behind Sibyll's legs for protection. Ren had kept Nora still much to Chisa's thanks.

"That would be up to her to decide. Would you like to go with them little one?" Sibyll turned to look at the young girl. "It may take some time, and dinner will be delayed as a result."

"Are you going to behave?" she asked tentatively.

"Of course I-, I will have you know I am _always_ on good behavior."

Sibyll crossed his arms in defiance, even as he knelt down at the young girl's beckoning. Her arms wrapped around his neck, giving him a brief hug, and released him.

"No more trouble," she stated. Chisa returned her attention to Nora and ducked under her grasping arms when she had broken free from Ren's hold. She quickly moved to Ruby's side, taking her hand as Nora cried (dramatically) to the sky of her "defeat". Sibyll had given them a customary bow as he wished for Chisa to enjoy herself, meeting with a still angry gaze from Blake. He had turned to leave when he felt a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. Sibyll found him locking eyes with another blonde as storm grey eyes regarded him carefully.

"You're him right?" Sun asked. "You're the guy responsible for Blake?"

"Yes… that is correct."

Sun continued to watch Sibyll in silence, his friends and team unsure of what to make of it.

"I understand if you too have some grievances, but—"

"Thanks… For saving her I mean…"

Sibyll stood confused for a brief moment, waiting for anything contrary to the sudden expression of gratitude, and received none. Glancing behind the blonde faunus, he found that their reception continued to be mixed and turned his attention back to Sun.

"The others do not share the same sentiment."

"You took away her faunus trait. I wouldn't put it past them," Sun reminded half bitterly. "But Blake's alive and I wanted to let you know that… I'm thankful for that."

"I would say 'you are welcome' but," Sibyll could see the brawler of the group grow more furious, "that would not be appropriate phrase with the current company. Still… I appreciate it. You are… unusually kind to me."

The young hunter took the book tucked from under his arm and offered it.

"My gratitude for your tolerance of me."

Sun accepted the book, uncertain of its use or content, and Sibyll turned to leave. Disappearing into the crowd as well, the faunus returned to the group as the Yang approached him.

"Really? We're thanking him now?" she asked sarcastically.

"Did any of you? Between you, Ruby, and Weiss?" he countered. Taken back by his aggressive response, Yang sized him up and felt a certain degree of betrayal. Did he not care? She would have responded in kind until her partner intervened.

"That's enough you two," Blake reprimanded. "We're not going to bring it up here, especially in front of Chisa."

Both blondes turned to find the young girl keeping a wary eye out for Nora with Ruby doing her best to keep the girl company. Nothing more was said on the matter as Blake dragged her partner away from Sun, hoping the space would cool them both down. Ruby had returned to taking point, guiding the teams to the food hall. All the while, she felt Chisa tug on her cloak, a look of confusion on her face.

"What's up?" the young reaper asked.

"What does it mean to 'pick up fair maidens' Miss Ruby?"

* * *

"Do we have any leads after the disappearance?" Ozpin asked, taking a slow sip of from his mug.

"Nothing substantial. All we know is that the infiltrator arrived in the dark hours of the morning when there was a shift change. If I remember what was recorded in Team RWBY's reports, it may be the same woman involved with the Breach and the stolen Paladin incident. The evidence of her work… shows."

The general expanded and spread the rest of the hologram med files, each more ominous than the last.

"Key traits appear to be the same as the surveillance shows Torchwick disappearing with the woman from within his cell. There's a brief distortion in the image before disappearing completely. So far, we've kept his escape from being known to the public. But if word gets out, both the council and the public will demand answers."

"Hopefully Qrow returns with some information before then," the headmaster finishes.

"Onto other business then Oz. Considering our other missing 'friend', do we have his current whereabouts?"

"We do."

"And?"

"We have him observation. It should be fine if we don't prompt him to run."

Ironwood narrowed his eyes at his old colleague, disliking the implied meaning behind the words. Oh, he knew that Ozpin was working with Sibyll but he believed it would be a ruse to corner him. That the cooperation was a façade to coax the stranger into capture, so they could keep the man under security than in the public. Penny's observation of the man showed an unrelenting violence, a disregard for morality, and it had gone on long enough.

"Oz, you know we can't have him walking freely under your delicate idea of 'supervision'. He's biding his time for an exit, and when he finds it… he'll use it."

"I don't believe that Mister Sibyll will take any hasty action. If anything, his stay here is what keeps him docile than his aimless drifting outside the walls. Should _you_ try anything, he may feel the need to protect himself and that is something that I cannot help you with James."

"This is ridiculous!" the man roared. "You would jeopardize the lives of your students by keeping such a threat at your borders?"

"I'm protecting my students by having the one man with the answers on close and cordial terms. Had you not made such a poor impression, maybe Sibyll would have deemed you another necessary ally. What else would you be doing with the fleet outside my window?"

"Don't change the subject about this Ozpin," Ironwood warned. "I proposed a plan to the Valen Council, went through the proper channels, and explained my intentions clearly and concisely. If you had wanted them on your side, then perhaps **you** shouldn't have been so lax in your approach to the problem. Having Qrow and few trusted others go through the underground and shadows with nothing to show for it—"

"Do not belittle their efforts in front of me James."

The headmaster stood from his seat, silver aura building around him. Ironwood remained in his spot, unintimidated by the display. The general merely frowned, his expression marred by an unwanted disappointment.

"You've changed Oz… I thought you of all people would see reason."

"I was beginning to think the same of you James."

The elevator's arrival broke the silence between them as it deposited an exhausted Glynda Goodwitch and two others.

"So this 'cotton candy' treat," Sibyll pointed, "is made solely of sugar?"

"Mhmm! From what I've studied, there are some heat applications to it but the flavor is sweet! And it melts in your mouth! Sensational!"

"I see… And these things here, the ones that are 'deep fried'… Do they really cook anything in that very manner?"

"I believe so, as online ratings and review are within the 89th percentile. Very few have taken their challenge of _'we fry it, you eat it'_ to full force, but the photographs spread online are true to their words. I can understand why you find such practices strange. These things are not very healthy by any margin," Penny reflected.

She took a bite from a deep fried pickle, chewing it thoughtfully as she tried to form her own opinion on the matter.

"It's admittedly tasty."

"I reluctantly take your word for it," Sibyll answered before turning to the rest of their company. As his eyes were met with the general, a hand rested on the hilt of his blade, eyes already gauging the distance between them. He had never fought the general but the man's metal arm kept him on edge. He could even sense the man's distaste, jaw clenched tight by the young hunter's presence.

"Penny Polendina reporting for duty Uncle!" the ginger haired girl cheered, doing her best to salute with an armful of food.

"And where are your escorts Penny?" the general asked, his face mirroring Goodwitch's tired expression.

"Oh! I think they may have gotten lost on the way here. But I promised them I would be here on time, just like you asked."

"You know you can't move about on your own young lady," the general reminded. "It would especially worry your father if something would happen to you."

"The general is right, young miss," Sibyll added. "While you claim to be 'combat ready', it would still be wise to go with people you are familiar with. An unaccompanied young lady may cross paths with the unsavory sort, and I would detest such thing should befall you."

"Yes… That is also true," the general conceded.

"Your mode of speaking is very dated, unlike the conversational patterns of today. I have yet to detect a contraction or colloquial term used in the duration of our conversation. Is it from a personal preference or an aristocratic upbringing?" Penny's curiosity poured through.

"I am unsure… My mannerisms have stuck with me for as far back I am able to recall. Back to the business at hand, I do believe this is where we part ways Miss Polendina," Sibyll stated as he gave her a bow.

"I look forward to—" Penny caught a cautionary gaze from the general, "I mean… Goodbye and save travels, Mr. Sibyll."

The ginger haired girl gave him a modest nod before moving to stand attentively by the elevator. Sibyll's gaze was met with Ironwood once more.

"Just one question before we leave," the general put forth.

"Are you going to be polite or are you going to beat it out of me?"

The general glared at the young hunter, pulling out his scroll and bringing up two sets of photos. One set was wholly familiar to Sibyll as it was his method to string up Grimm on wooden pyres. There were number of small puncture wounds from blades laced with poison, allowing for the creatures to suffer and succumb slowly; it would be just enough to ward of their brethren from approach the nearby towns. The other set of photos he noticed were of bloodied, uniformed men pinned against the wall, their mock salutes intentionally posed. The amount of blood and disregard for the bodies… The familiarity of it all proved to be too eerie…

"You wouldn't happen to anything about these incidents, would you?"

Sibyll had never seen those uniformed men, let alone where they were stationed, or why they were subject to such cruel ends. That he could deny, but his work during his travels had proven effective if not controversial. Displaying beasts of the scourge had been a method used to intimidate and ward off the rest from crowded streets and communities. So why deny it, unless it was the very answer the general was expecting. Give him just enough cause to pull the young hunter from his work again out of another misunderstanding.

"I apologize but I have no knowledge of what I am shown," Sibyll stated.

"You sure? There have been a few accounts of a man fitting your description dealing with Grimm in this manner. If so, then there are suspicions as to why _this_ woman would use a similar method on **my** men."

The general brought up another photo, slightly blurred save for the brief glimpse of the woman's face: a satisfactory smile adorning her face as streaks of brown and pink hair obscured most of her face. That predatory smile…

"I truly know nothing. Yes, I had been contracted to help a few villages on my venture, but I never put them on display as depicted there. That is not my handiwork."

"I see… Stay vigilant then…"

The general took back the data into his scroll, and made his way to the elevator, entering it with Penny in tow as the young hunter was suddenly at the closing doors.

"If I may speak plainly, perhaps you should take better care of your niece," Sibyll suggests as he looked to the ginger haired girl. "Her breaths sound irregular and forced, as if she is trying hard to maintain a normal pace. She speaks highly of becoming a Huntress and I do not doubt her abilities she is your apprentice. But if she is unwell, then try not to put her under too much duress. Her enthusiasm to fight is admirable, but I thought to let you know of my concerns."

Ironwood spared a glance to the girl in his company, before reaching out to close the elevator doors.

"Of course."

When the doors closed and the carriage descended, Sibyll turned to the headmaster with the same serious expression. Ozpin gestured for him to take a seat as Glynda set to preparing yet another pot of coffee. Diligently serving both men and her self, she took her place next to her colleague as the young hunter gave his drink a tentative sip. Sibyll took a moment to look beyond them, enjoying the view of the academy from such a height, yet his eyes were drawn back to the walled city. So many metal airships floating about carelessly, commuting between the school and back, and he envied such peace. Even as the vision of fire and blood flickered behind in his sight, a reminder of what _might_ come weighed heavily on his heart.

He would not want Chisa to be witness to such a sight…

"If you are curious, the Grimm in those photos had a slow acting poison coursing through their bodies and keeps them in a perpetual state of a slow death. Their pained cries ward off the others and will continue to do so for a few days," Sibyll explained. The silence between them left the young hunter to his thoughts, which the dread continued to build. Anything in way of conversation would be enough of a distraction for him.

"Ah, so that is how those villages managed to reassess their security without being overwhelmed. That was very clever of you. Barbaric and inhumane, but clever," Ozpin admitted.

Goodwitch sputtered her coffee slightly, finding the casual conversation between the headmaster and… stranger to be deeply revolting. Viridian eyes fixed themselves heated on her colleague, but he made no motion reaction to. Rather, Ozpin reached into his desk drawer to pull out the borrowed journal and returned it to the young hunter. Placing the cup down carefully, Sibyll took his journal into his hands and leafed through his entries to ensure not a single page was missing. Deeming it to be in proper order, he placed it back into his bag as the man across from him leaned back into his chair.

"I thought it was about time that I returned what is yours. Thank you for allowing me to learn from your accounts, and I must say… it proved to be a disturbing read."

"They were never meant to be read. In truth, my honor as a Hunter demands that I kill you now to prevent the spread of such knowledge," Goodwitch readied her riding crop, "but I trust you."

"What changed?" Ozpin asked.

"Portions of your memories still reside in my mind. I have seen your triumphs and failures, your doubts and convictions, your morals and sins… You and Miss Goodwitch have suffered greatly, survived things no ordinary person would, and… I can understand _why_ you have made those decisions in your youth."

Sibyll carefully took up the cup for another sip, more thoughtful and collected.

"As another Hunter, you have earned my respect as well as my sympathies…"

"Well, you trusting in us makes this easier to meet our shared goals. On that note, Qrow was able to discover the location of the hidden White Fang base. I advised Qrow to return so that we may come to a plan of action, taking into account your connection on the inside."

"I may already have a plan of approach," Sibyll admitted as he placed the empty cup onto the table.

"What did you have in mind?"

"Something along the lines of having them take me to him as their prisoner. If I let slip a few choice phrases they did not expect an outsider to know, they may wish to interrogate me… or kill me, which may be the more prominent choice set us back greatly…"

"Putting aside the **illogical** approach you're suggesting, you'll expose yourself for what you are if they **do** kill you."

"It is a gamble I have to take. If I can dissuade Mister Taurus from their current path, we may be able to save your kingdom and stifle whoever is in association with them. From what he was able to tell me, this woman promises them a chance to strike back at Remnant by giving them something very archaic… If my visions are true, then the tainted blood will soon come to play."

"Visions?" Ozpin asked for clarification.

"Yes… They were given to me before my arrival here, and my mentor tasked me with ensuring it does not come. The city below," Sibyll stood and moved to the glass, "was shown to me consumed by fire and blood. People will hunt down one another out of fear… or a desire for blood. They will have no control and before long… Nothing will remain."

"But we can stop it before it gets to that stage," Goodwitch spoke up adamantly. "We have Huntsmen and Huntresses that will come to our aid and provide the greatest security for the kingdom and its citizens. If the White Fang does finally plan to attack—"

"Then all will come to defend against their declaration of war. That I do not doubt, but what of those on the wall? If these creatures of Grimm feed off of negative emotions, then will your defenses hold? Your forces may be spread thin and you may survive all this, but with great casualties. Which is why I wish to speak with Mister Taurus, and I hope that I can convince him otherwise."

"Do you really think he'll listen? A man with so much hate for humankind?" Ozpin asked, standing next to the young hunter. It was not out of disbelief or pessimism, but from curiosity.

"He is a driven man with ideals, but I do not believe he would damn his own people for his cause. I will await Mister Branwen's return to discuss more, but I feel that meeting with Adam would be our best chance to reduce any unnecessary casualties."

"The lesser of two evils," Ozpin noted.

"I only hope that we have not chosen wrong," Sibyll answered. As he continued to watch the city below, both images of peace and destruction struggled over the other in his eyes.

* * *

"Chisa, can you promise us to **not** tell anyone what happened? Or any of the things you might have learned? Especially with Sibyll," Ruby pleaded with the girl on her back. Dinner with the teams had not gone too well, starting out as a tour of the fairground and devolving into… _that_.

"But isn't lying bad?" the young girl asked.

"Well, technically yes. But think of it as a secret between all of us, okay? There are things you're still too young to understand, and it's best if we kept quiet about it," Blake tried to reason.

"Like… Is it like if we _say_ something, Mister Jaune and Mister Neptune is going to be in trouble again?"

"Oh, those two are in trouble alright," Weiss muttered harshly under her breath. Her grip on the plush Beowolf tightened, primarily around the neck area, as she recalled the despicable and detestable affront she witnessed.

"Yes… something like that," Ruby answered. Chisa nodded thoughtfully to herself, and promised the girls she would be their secret keeper.

"I'll admit, I didn't think it would turn out like that," Yang stated as she carried the take-home festival food. "I mean… for a book like that to be so… so… What's the word I'm looking for?"

" **Salacious**."

" _Strange?_ "

"Effective."

"Accurate! Yeah, didn't think it would be spot on with almost… everything," the brawler spoke as she looked to the rest of the girls.

"It was **not** spot on at all! Those two were just lucky, that's all There's no merit to such a baseless and shoddy book!" Weiss shouted, maintaining her quickened pace. "Instead, we should focus on why Sibyll invited us as well, considering how he's expressly denied our coming here to you in the first place."

"I don't know either Weiss," Blake added. "He said for me and my team to arrive at night for a 'mock hunt' he's preparing."

"Kinda like initiation, right?" the young reaper asked.

"I think so. We've been training for a while now, days for you three, and he might think I'm ready. There are things he says I have yet to learn, but combat in the field may be my overall assessment."

"Ohh, and maybe that's why he wants us to come over too! We'll be able to support you on your test, right?"

"Maybe…" Blake answered hesitantly. "But we're going to find out when we get there."

"But why those clothes?" the heiress added, pointed to the folded grey attire in Blake's hands.

"It's… like a uniform. It's study enough to offer some protection, and just light enough to not be weighty. There's no fabric like it from what I've looked into."

As they broke through the tree line, all five girls found a lone building in the opening with windows glowing from interior light. Upon finding it, Weiss, Ruby, and Yang found it to be much older than they though as the style of the building wasn't something they've seen in the major kingdoms. Even the wrought iron fence and water tower made it feel more isolated than they already were.

"Well, isn't that just spooky," Yang commented.

"It's not as scary when we get inside," Chisa spoke up. "Sibyll says there's nothing to be scared about. He even made sure there aren't any ghosts too, so we're all safe."

"Ghosts?" Ruby asked, and she felt the young girl nod in confirmation.

"He fought plenty of them from when he was travelling. That and fighting them helps them be exercised."

"You mean ' _exorcised'_ Chisa," Blake corrected.

"And what is that smell in the air?" the heiress look about, trying to find the source. It was smoky for sure, picking up scents of plants or herbs she couldn't quite place, but it was highly unpleasant to take in.

"Incense, to keep the monsters away," Chisa answered them, half-proudly, half-tentatively.

"Does it work?" Yang asked, keeping her eyes on the surrounding area.

"Kinda…" the young girl answered. All four of them looked to the young girl, sharing a great concern over how vulnerable this place was in the middle of the Emerald Forest.

"Sometimes I can hear them come near the house, the really 'brave' ones, and they sound really scary… But that's it. Nothing ever bad happens because they leave in a hurry when Sibyll goes out there. They've stopped coming by for a while now."

"Have you ever thought of leaving? You know, finding someplace that's not _here_?" Yang clarified. Chisa shook her head as they approached the gates.

"It's scary… but I know he's with me. He promised nothing bad would ever happen here, and I trust him."

Patting Ruby's shoulder, Chisa was let down to approached the door and gave a clear knock. Movement from the inside approached, turning the lock on the door, and opening wide as the firelight illuminated the darkened doorway. Sibyll's eyes searched for Chisa first, sighing in relief as the young girl greeted him. He then looked to Blake, nodded in his assessment over her preparedness, and finally onto the remaining three girls. Ruby wasn't sure what to make of his expression, but she knew his eyes were studying Yang than either her or Weiss.

"Please come in," he spoke as he stepped aside.

Chisa led the way, offering to take the bags of food to store in their dust powered cooler at the back of the room. Ruby, Weiss, and Yang looked about the space as each girl thought of their own private evaluation. The place itself was warm, not from the cracking fires or the several candles, but homely. Chisa had then taken her fairgrounds prizes to her room, and returned to prep for her nighttime routines. Sibyll had invited team RWBY to find a comfortable place to sit as he set about preparing pajamas, ensuring teeth were brushed, and prepared a glass of water should she wake up thirsty.

The amount of care the three of them observed was strangely unsettling. This was a man they had seen kill both people and Grimm without hesitation. Ruby was especially at odds with her feeling as Sibyll, who took a moment to brush Chisa's hair, had almost killed Qrow. The frenzied look then was wholly different from the calm, almost impassive expression he wore as Chisa recounted most of her evening at the fairgrounds. Yang remained skeptical of the display, unsure if Chisa was her of own choice or… otherwise. The young girl was earnest in their interaction with her, leaving the brawler to believe Chisa wasn't forced to lie. Still, Yang had her own reservations to having someone like Chisa stay with someone like Sibyll. Blake, having seen this enough times to be unperturbed, watched the young girl with great interest.

There was a great amount of trust (albeit naively) from the girl towards Sibyll. How she looked better and at peace by his side after... everything. And while he could be more or less cold or indifferent to them or anyone from the academy, there was an undeniable softness on his part toward Chisa.

After tucking the young girl in, Sibyll entered the space with the rest of Team RWBY as he took up the Threaded Cane from an accompanying worktable.

"I have taken the liberty of altering your weapon to be more suitable against beasts. The gems inlayed here contribute to that," he spoke to Blake. Handing the weapon over, she saw the familiar crimson gems worked into the base of the weapon, just below the curve of the handle.

"So I'm hunting Grimm then?" she asked him.

"Yes, but not without purpose."

"You make it seem like we've been doing nothing the whole time," Yang snidely commented. Ruby shot her sister a warning glare, but neither the brawler nor Sibyl made any sense of acknowledgement.

"I have prepared a single task requiring you to return five badges, each spread through the forest. Collect them before dawn and I will deem you capable to hunt."

"That's it?" Blake asked, hinting at her slight confusion over the simplicity of the test.

"Mhmm. Feel free to use the comfort room in order to change your attire," Sibyll gestured to the bathroom.

The raven haired girl gave a slight nod and gathered her things, sparing the rest of her teammates the same unsure glance as the door closed behind her. The young hunter took his seat by the fireplace, settling against the cushions as he eyes fixed on the flickering flames. He sat in silence, making no effort to turn to the rest of them, leaving Ruby more nervous than she would like. Weiss had taken to looking out the windows, still wary over the lack of defenses this place had. Blake finally emerged dressed in her Hunter's garb, adjusting the final buttons of her vest as everyone turned to her. Armed with both pistol, bullets, Gambol Shroud and the Threaded Cane, the raven haired girl was ready to undergo tonight's trial.

"Well, I guess we'll be right back then," Ruby awkwardly stated. She was about to stand to leave, before Sibyll raised his hand to stop her.

"Please stay," he motioned for her to take her seat, "I am sure there are things you wish to discuss and now would be an opportunity to do so. There is no need to leave on Miss Belladonna's absence."

"But… isn't this some sort of test she has to pass?" the young reaper clarified.

"True, but this is **her** trial to undergo. If she wishes to be a Hunter, she must prove it through her own competence and skill."

"And you think we're just going to let her go out there alone? Into the Emerald Forest without her **team**?" Yang challenged, stepping off the wall she had been leaning on.

"Oh of course, I do not mean to discredit your individual merits and solidarity. I do not deny that your trust in each other is strong, which is _why_ you must believe in her success."

"This is ridiculous!" Weiss shouted. "You're asking us to stay behind, knowing she's at the greatest risk now more than ever! What sort of person would willingly do that to their friend?"

"Perhaps friends that will not constantly coddle her during team training?"

Blake could feel her team's eyes on her, feelings of surprise and hints of betrayal emanating from their expressed horror. Sibyll turned his head slightly to look at them before returning his gaze to the fire.

"It shows in her frustration, how overly cautious you are of her. And it is not wholly unfounded; you three try to be mindful of Miss Belladonna's vulnerability but hold her back through your kindness. You three are afraid to hurt her, afraid to spill her blood. You care deeply and **that** is why you four have found yourself in a rut with combat unity."

With a swift motion of his hand, Sibyll had thrown a knife concealed within his sleeve at Blake. It had been an action that Ruby, Weiss, and Yang were too slow to intercept as the knife became a blur before their eyes. Even as they tried to follow it, they could only watch in horror as Blake deftly dodged the oncoming blade, ducking her head slightly, as she threw one of her own knives at the young hunter. Sibyll lazily kicked up an unused log, catching it in his hand with enough time to stop the retaliatory blade. Carefully setting the log down, he raised his hands in surrender as the girls armed themselves for another attack.

"Had Blake not undergone my mentoring, she would have been dead where she stood. Yet there she stands, just as furious as the rest of you, but capable of defending herself. I do not yield nor do I allow her abilities to slacken. My methods are not compassionate by any means, and I am sure I have earned her ire with how far I pushed her. But for someone like her to push back, to vent her dissatisfactions within a fight, speaks volumes of her fervor to overcome her insecurities and shortcomings. Every wound she earns, every 'death' she faces, is necessary for her growth. Can you three speak the same?"

The RWBY girls (sans Blake) couldn't properly answer him, knowing full well that to some extents he was right.

"Is that true Blake? About the training and everything else?" Ruby asked. The young reaper was more disappointed in herself than with the idea of her teammate finding help outside their circle. Sibyll had been right in their cautiousness with Blake, but she had to done her best to try. Yet she couldn't bring herself to hurt someone in that way… It was the reason why specters of her nightmares still remained, why she hated the idea of unnecessary violence.

Blake for her part knew her team couldn't understand _why_ she felt the way Sibyll described. A portion of her… envied how _complete_ they were, never having to deal with the pangs of emptiness she felt at her core. They never had to endure dreams of someone else's life or check every morning to find her nonexistent ears. They didn't have to have three disgusting scars across their chest, the cold morning showers reminding her of a death she escaped. And maybe that's why it frustrated her more when they tried to be careful around her, all three of them a reminder of her glaring weakness. Blake hated it when Adam would tended her out of sarcasm, and that only doubled when her own teammates became overbearing through it.

"There are things you three don't understand…" she finally admitted. "And while Sibyll has proven to be a completely frustrating **ass** in just about everything… he knows what I'm going through… That's just how it is…"

"Oh," was all Ruby could say. Even as the guilt continued to grow, feeling the strange sense of distance growing between them… she didn't want Blake to drift away from them again.

"I'm sor—"

"I don't need you to apologize to me Ruby," Blake answered quickly. There was no anger to be found in those words, no sense of indignation of having to be handled carefully.

"I just want you three to trust me. Believe that I can do this and can pull my own weight when the time finally comes. If I can't do it now, then I know I'll only hold you back."

Blake looked to each of them before making her way to the door, pausing just a bit on each of them with their expressions still carrying doubt and worry. It would have to be something they would need to understand, and hopefully this arbitrary test would prove her own strength.

"I'll be back as soon as I can. And Sibyll?"

The young hunter tilted his gaze to her.

"Don't screw this up," she warned. "You invited them for a reason and it better not end up with Yang angrier than she already is. You have everyone else on edge, so watch what you say."

"I promise to try."

Blake nodded and slowly closed the door behind her. From the open windows, they could all hear her venture off into the forest to begin her search. Sibyll motioned for the rest of team RWBY to take their place across from him, finding whichever suitable seat they could.

"I believe now is the time to answer as many questions as I can. Given the time that we know each other," Weiss and Yang scoffed, "I found that, like your headmaster, you all can be trusted."

"Wow, I guess that means we can start being friends and all that crap," the brawler sarcastically added. "I mean, you trying to kill my uncle Qrow and our headmaster is something we can just overlook. Hanging around my sister and traumatizing her where she's plagued by constant nightmares is totally~ a no biggie. And all those people back in Addersfield? They're completely okay aren't they? Probably just sleeping it off."

"Yang…" Weiss warned.

"Oh, and that thing about working with the White Fang is nothing more than expanding your social circle huh? Trying to rub elbows with as many people as you can, fingers in all the pies, just normal things a murderer would do."

"Stop it Yang," Ruby pleaded.

"But hey! _You_ trust **us** now! Even after Ruby vouched for you, begged us to give you a chance, and was still willing to hear you out after you took Blake's faunus traits away from her… **You** trust **us** now. Finally, we can call breathe easy!"

Yang sat on the very edge of her seat, a mocking smile on her face, hair alight, and eyes red for emphasis. She refused to listen to Ruby or Weiss, focusing solely on the man across her who made no effort to defend himself. Sibyll allowed her to speak, to vent her distaste and distrust of him, all while melting comfortable into his chair. He knew it would take some time for their conversation to make any headway, but he would allow Yang her moment of fury. She had been right on all accounts and Sibyll felt he deserved a moment of their anger.

"Is there any more you would like to express?" the young hunter had asked earnestly.

"Nah, I think I've made my point of _'you being a huge threat to us'_ pretty clear."

"Stop it Yang. He's willing to fill us in on what he knows," Ruby pleaded.

"She is not technically wrong young miss…"

"Please! Just stop making it worse…" Weiss said as she buried her face into her hands.

Sibyll sighs as he stands to prepare a kettle of tea. Pouring the clean water into the metal container, he hung the kettle by the fireside to heat up and returned to his seat.

"Before we begin, it is best to clear the air between us. I will not deny Miss Xiao Long's accusations because they **are** true. Everything I have done up to this point is deserving of their enmity but I cannot apologize for the things I have done…"

Yang was on the verge of another protest before he held his hand up, stopping her.

"Please understand that I receive no pleasure in taking the lives of those people in that town. It may seem that I am callous, but that is what happens when it is a _common_ occurrence to me. The days I spent wandering Yharnam were filled with nothing but despair. People turning into those accursed creatures, unable to control themselves, and with no other solution to be found… I could only end their misery. Yet who can I plead my apologies to?"

Sibyll looked back to the fire, unable to meet anyone's gaze.

"Should I apologize to the dead who cannot hear me? Whose final memory of their torturous life is a death by my hand? Or should I apologize to the families of the afflicted who, despite their sentimental attachments, do not understand the hazard of spreading the plague? The once respected Hunters become objects of resentment, no matter our efforts to protect the helpless… So when I say that I cannot apologize for my actions, it is because there would be no one able or willing to hear them."

Ruby watched as Sibyll pulled his coat tighter around him, unsure if he was aware of it or not. For the first time though, the young reaper saw a man harboring so much uncertainty and regret. Willing himself to retract the walls which pushed her away, she couldn't help but feel sad on his behalf. They hadn't been easy on him, his ambiguity a constant struggle, but he was making an effort to reach out now.

"Then what happened with Ozpin and my uncle? We've seen the recording of that fight and you looked like you were _enjoying_ yourself?" Yang asked. Her golden hair returned to its unlit form, yet crimson eyes continued to watch him.

"That is the curse of being a Hunter," Sibyll explained. "Those of us contracted with the Dream are immune to the disease itself, but we are most susceptible to bloodlust. The memories our victims lie in their blood, and we can see portions of their lives through them. For some reason, having an abundance of it within our minds coerces us to want more, initiating Hunters to hunt solely for blood and driving them mad. My duel with your headmaster and uncle is just the same… My mind and thoughts were filled with so much of Ozpin's memories that I lost control. Thankfully, it was only a _minor_ case of frenzy and death had certainly cleared my head."

"You mean to say that if Blake theoretically takes in too much blood," Weiss began.

"She will suffer a frenzy state as well. I have already informed her of such dangers and provided measures to counter them. I have done the best that can to prepare her for such, but I hope it should never come to that."

The kettle began to whine in a high pitch, signaling its readiness and Sibyll set to prepare the drinks.

"I will do my best to answer any questions you may have. My responses may appear to be absurd in nature, but they are true and I will try to prove them so. Hopefully through this, we may be better acquainted or at least on more tolerable terms. Would that be alright with you three?"

Ruby looked to her partner and sister, a hint of skepticism from Weiss and Yang deciding to remain quiet if it means getting answers and ending this meeting quickly. The young reaper approached them with a platter of mugs, each filled generously with tea, and offered them. The heiress had accepted out of courtesy, the brawler silently refusing, and he stood before Ruby. From her seat, she could find his eyes watching her with an expectant look. A mixture of subtle emotions on his face, shown only to her, she accepted with a slight nod as he took his own drink to his seat.

"We'll do our best to hear you out," Ruby answered. The young hunter had given her a small smile, one that she hadn't seen for some time, as he took a small sip.

"Thank you," he answered. Sibyll looked to the rest of the girls before realizing he had forgotten another important matter entirely.

"By the way," he began, "do either you happen to know who this belongs to?"

Sibyll reached into the pocket of his "teacher's coat" (as Chisa had taken to calling it), and pulled out a distinguishable red feather. All three girls were shocked as he twirled it between his fingers as he studied it.

"I cannot recall ever having such a thing, and it makes me uneasy to think that someone may have been here during my absence. Suffice it to say, someone **has** come here without my notice and if this woman is not an ally of yours… then we may have a predicament on our hands."

Giving a brief snap of his fingers, a figure glowed into form like a hologram in the open space between all of them. Ruby tried to find the source of the strange light, noticing only that spot on the floor was covered in a unusual, foggy substance. It was the same phenomenon she saw when she had killed Sibyll and it sent a chill down her back. Yet as eyes returned to the see through figure, Ruby saw Raven's ghostly image displayed before them and looking about the room in search of something.

* * *

"Neo's informed me about your little incident today Emerald. Would you care to explain _why_ you decided to act on your own **again**?" Cinder asked her subordinate.

The mint haired thief could see the fury burning behind the woman's amber eyes, being restrained by a sliver of mercy. Emerald, cursing the position she was in, explained her intentions thoroughly to her superior and tried to emphasize their efforts to know more about the man they were tasked to observe. She apologized profusely for being caught, the situation being salvaged by Neo's intervention, but Cinder's expression grew worse as the woman frowned.

"What did I say back in the warehouse?" Cinder asked.

"I-I'm sorry! I slipped up but it won't-"

 **"What did I say?"**

" _...Don't think, obey._ "

"And yet you decide to disobey me when I expressly said to keep a low profile. If any of the staff were involved, the would have kept all four of us under their watch. Every singly move from then on would be **unnecessarily** constrained because **you fucked up**."

Emerald flinched at the woman's words, anticipating the worse as her hand swiftly came to view. Yet the thief felt the reprimanding hand caress her face gently, tilting it back to face the woman she swore her life too. No more having to steal to live, no more having to fight and scrape to survive, and Cinder gave her that escape. There was no other who would be considered her equal and such a woman with power to make other tremble... She was a woman of confidence and unmatched skill, taking orders from no one. If Cinder wanted a town in ashes, wanted to track down an infamous criminal, have an infamous terrorist faction serve them, then she made sure she obtained what she desired.

Emerald wanted nothing more than to be the means to give her those things, to repay the woman who gave her another chance to fulfill a better purpose.

"But I'll forgive you this last time," Cinder warned. "You may have given us the opening to know more about this stranger, and hopefully he'll be working for us if Taurus got to him first."

Emerald's eyes grew wide with gratitude as Cinder's expression softened.

"I swear I won't let you down! I-"

Cinder's hand moved to the girl's throat, gripping it tightly as she raised her body of the floor. Emerald's body flailed, grasping uselessly at the hand, losing breath with each struggle. She could feel the growing heat around her throat as the woman summoned a small flame around her hand. Mercury watched from the side, knowing full well to not interrupt his boss unless he valued his life less than his partner. And he knew damn well he could care less about the naggy thief, but he was paid well to work with her. Emerald's eyes locked with Cinder's as amber eyes burned furiously in warning.

"Good. Slip up again and I'll undo the mistake of having taken you in those years ago."

Cinder dropped Emerald to the floor, and shook her hand as if to rid herself from any offensive residue.

"I'll be meet with Roman tonight to finalize the last part of our plans. If all goes well and the White Fang plays their part, you two will be awarded greatly for your work and dedication."

She then slipped out of the room, leaving the other three behind to tend to themselves until the following day.

"You got lucky you know," Mercury reminded. "No one ever get's a _third_ chance because they're usually dead."

"...Shut...up..." Emerald struggled to say. Looking up to their other member, she couldn't help but hate the smirk on the shorter woman's face. Even in her "disguise", Neo proved to be a pain to work with when there were no other people to have to fool.

"Got...something...to say..."

Neo raised you hand for a rude gesture, shaking it slightly for emphasis as she returned to watching her scroll.

"You little..." Emerald coughed as she helped herself to her bed.

"You don't think it's weird?" Mercury asked as he began his nightly routine of sit ups.

"What?"

"That Neo's more quiet than usual."

"..."

"You know what I mean."

"Why should we care? She's a freak enough as it is-" Emerald felt the pointed edge of a textbook hit her head and screamed out in pain. Clutching at the wound, she turned to find Neo standing on her bed giving her two rude gestures and sticking her tongue out. The thief raced across the room, halfway through a roundhouse kick before Neo's image shattered and left nothing behind. As Emerald cursed Neo for insuffereable existence, the illusionist reappeared in a more deserted part of the school. Her attention was focused on a recording she had _"asked"_ from Cinder, repeating it over and over to enjoy the bloody carnage before her eyes.

Sibyll spilled so much, his wounds far too much for any normal person to endure. Despite how outmatched the man had been, he continued to press forward with an erratic expression on his face. Those eyes so focused on timing his attacks to strike at openings and weakness, and the blood of others mending his wounds?

Neo rewound the footage to where Qrow had finished his barrage of attacks, only for Sibyll to seal them close when going back to the offensive.

He was tenacious.

He was bloodthirsty.

He was...

He was...

Neo's face flushed at the mere thought of it, licking her lips in an attempt to sate her growing hunger.

 _"My newest, unbreakable plaything."_

* * *

 **A/N: Well, all of that was certainly a thing. Hopefully a step in the right direction for everyone, but we can never be too sure. I'm looking forward to all your feedback about this installment, and I will do my best to answer your questions and concerns as best as I can. And if you are curious to which Caryll Runes Blake is currently using, it is the: Anti-Clockwise Metamorphosis (20% Max Stamina Boost), Lake (7% Phys Dmg Reduction), Great Lake (5% All Dmg Reduction), and the Hunter's Rune (Increase stamina recovery).**

ALSO! If you're interested, I also have a "side story" story set up that takes Chisa's perspective and coincides with this one. It'll cover things in an "omake" style fashion, containing holiday specials or additional fluff/humor that may not be present in _The Longest Hunt_. I hope you enjoy both works and I look forward to next installment. Until next time everyone!

 **Fun Fact: I came up with Neo's cover name after Sylvia Christel from the _No More Heroes_ franchise. The disguise Neo uses reminded me of her, as well as her frustrating {No one has landed a hit on her} character overall {Sylvia Christel plays Travis like a damned fiddle}.**


	16. A Tentative, First Step

**A/N: Kept you waiting for a while huh? I apologize for the delay but things have tendency to crop up unexpectedly. Other responsibilities and work have slowed the process a bit, but rest assured knowing I haven't given up. Whenever it's my downtime, I actually draft notes and plot points to keep up with the story (even if I'm not actively writing the chapter). I intend to see this story all the way through and I will work toward that as best as I can. I only hope you are all patient enough to keep an eye out for each installment. Big news addressed at the end about... everything.**

* * *

Blake stalked silently through the forest, mindful of the obscured underbrush which could give her position away at any moment. Every step had to be taken with great consideration while maintaining a steady pace, hoping to not lose any more time heading in the _wrong_ direction. Messengers, she assumed they were Sibyll's by their "accessories", would occasionally appear bearing the message of her straying too far off from her intended target. She would try to correct her path, moving toward another direction before they would appear before her again.

Over and over.

She cursed again when the Messenger with the white bow pointed to the scrolled message, as if to remind the girl _yet again_ that she had made a mistake in her hunt. Without her natural night vision, traversing the Emerald Forest by night was near impossible to do. Sibyll had mentioned that she would need to hone her natural sight, but Blake found that she was missing that trait which she took for granted. She had no reason to fear the darkness, no reason to feel apprehensive of the things lurking in the shadows because she could _see_ them. Now… she could understand why someone would fear the darkness. She was vulnerable without her aura and now she was at the mercy of the wilderness.

She pulled out her scroll, bringing her a brief moment of light as she found that three hours had passed. Midnight had come and she had only six hours left until dawn. Six hours in which she had yet to hunt down **one** of her targets in a forest with unclear boundaries. Blake closed and tucked away her scroll, allowing her eyes to adjust to the darkness.

" _The shadows are a Hunter's true ally; shrouding you just as well as your prey. But if you must, tread carefully by torchlight,"_ Sibyll's reminder echoed in her thoughts.

"I know, I know," she mumbled.

Looking around, she picked out a sizable branch and used Gambol Shroud to cut it down. She searched her pockets, feeling for the familiar shape of the oil urn, and pulled it out along with spare rags wrapped around them. Blake fixed the rags to one end of the branch, soaking it generously, and setting it alight with some red dust. A growing orange glow began to push back the surrounding darkness as she held her torch aloft, scanning the area for any disturbances.

She remained alone and the knowledge of it only made her uneasy.

It became more nerve wracking with how the darkness seemed to deepen beyond the torchlight's range. Every flickering shadow had her eyes darting about, even when she was sure about the signs of wildlife around her. The occasional hoot of some owl or the chirping of bugs were mild comforts that Grimm were far from her location. But she needed to seek them out as quickly as she could.

Blake made sure to keep the torch ahead of her, lighting the path clearly with a firm grip on her weapon. It had been difficult at first when Sibyll made her wield both Gambol and her Hunter's pistol, the uneven weight interfering with her natural balance. It was "necessary" of her to grow comfortable with both weapons at the ready to stun the prey and strike. Sibyll had made it the second thing she had to learn in her training and, while it remained similar to her usual fighting style, she continued to struggle with the imbalance. Further into the forest she travelled, amber eyes looking for any disturbed grass, broken twigs, or…

She paused as she found a tuft of black fur hanging off the branches of a bush, and then several more. Holstering her weapon briefly, she reached out and took up the traces into her hand. It was still dry, probably shedding to make room for their oncoming cold. She looked to the ground, finding a consistent path forward, and followed.

The track itself wasn't long, leading into a thicker part of the forest. It forced Blake to circumvent or squeeze through the narrow spaces, finding it much harder to travel forward. But the size of the fur as well as the marks on the tree bark hinted at a Grimm of relatively large size. They trailed from left to right, four of them at angle, and exposing the pale flesh of the tree itself. They would appear intermittently on the trees, forcing her to follow the ominous trail. It only begged the question as to why it would come _here_ when there was hardly any space for someone of her size to fit through. She found a more open area further into the forest, and Blake stepped through, doing her best to cast her light.

The space itself wasn't small but it was enough boast a degree of impressiveness with its overall isolation. It reminded her of the secret dwellings or havens untouched by the rest of the world, pure in the seclusion from the Grimm roamed the wilds. She wondered briefly what it would look like during the day until another joined it.

" _If the tracks led here, then where_ _ **is**_ _it?"_

Blake moved to the center of the space, trying to pick up on the trail. There was nothing, save for the rustling leaves and silence of the forest.

Silence.

She tensed up, feeling exposed at the center with the surrounding trees barring any attempt of a swift exit. But it was the feeling of being watched that made her anxious; eyes watching from the darkness and studying her, waiting for an open opportunity. Taking Gambol Shroud in her hand once more, she turned about in search for the presence. Nothing was hiding between the trunks of trees or crawling low along the grass. But she was **sure** the tracks led her here, recalling those lessons Adam had instilled in her and the recap Sibyll forced her to undergo. The path, despite how obscured it was, remained linear of a direction heading to this very location. For it to suddenly disappear?

Blake forced herself to remember anything significant about the signs: the crushed grass, the fur, the angular marks left on the tree bark…

She frowned.

Were those marks a _territorial_ display? Or were they a desperate attempt to evade something?

She scanned the area once more, hoping to pick up on any hesitant movement. The area remained empty but she couldn't be truly convinced of it. Another breeze passed from behind her when her breath hitched slightly. She didn't know if it was just the area around her or her nerves but she **knew** she wasn't alone. A scent carried on the wind from behind, earthy in nature but slick with the musk of an animal. Blake spun around towards it, still finding nothing in front of her. Beyond the trees perhaps?

It couldn't be… She had come from that direction and there was no way it could have passed her. She scanned the tree lines again, hoping to catch anything, even going so far as to look upward.

Blake raised her torch as high as her arms could allow, peering into the darkened treetops. She only saw the swaying of the leaves, rustling with the passing breeze and took a tentative step back. It couldn't be...

She could barely make an outline of a large body, huddled within the branches, but the glint of the eyes in the torchlight betrayed the beasts cover. A snarl began to emit from the now found creature, shifting itself to face her and leapt out with extended claws. Blake instinctively rolled under it, careful not to drop her torch, and turned to face a Beowolf. The creature's body bore old scars, bone plating and spikes looking more worn than usual, and it stood several feet over her. Red eyes watched carefully as it circled about her, keeping out of her weapons reach. It would not have been a problem if both her hands were free, but she would need to forsake light to do so now.

Maybe **this** was why Sibyll had tasked her with hunting beasts at night. To prepare her for the inevitable shortcomings with her… humanhood. Blake would have to face certain situations like this and she understood why he figuratively threw her to the Beowolf now of all times. She had confirmed it with her team before she left but still… if she _truly_ wanted to continue to be a Huntress, if she wanted to remain with Team RWBY, she would have to survive this night on her own.

The beast snarled once more, dashing forward at great speeds as Blake dived to the side to avoid the oncoming strike…only to find that it had hit her anyways. She felt the back of its paw smack against her, throwing her a fair distance away and she had to roll blindly back from claws that pierced the ground. It had feinted in its charge, choosing to attack her mid-roll. With the torch still in hand, she raised herself up and kept the fire in front of her. She hoped the flames would ward off the beast momentarily to regain her footing, yet it remain unperturbed.

She wouldn't have to worry about the distance it continued to keep away from her, but it blended so well with the darkness that preferred to keep it sight. Blake scanned for weakness, hoping to find any scar that the beast tried to shield from her, but there were so many. For a Beowolf of that size without a pack gave her an uneasy feeling. Instead of taking another opportunity to attack, the beast turned and ran toward the tree line. She didn't understand why fled, but her eyes caught on to something tied onto one of its spikes. Blake gave chase as best as she could, doing her best to keep the light on the fleeing Grimm and found some sort of trinket bouncing wildly against its back.

It could only be one of the five badges that Sibyll tasked her with retrieving. If she were to lose it now, there's no saying how long it would take for her to track and find it again. She placed Gambol Shroud on her back, thankful that she was able to fit the magnetic harness over her coat. She reached for one of her poison throwing knives and threw it after the beast, hoping the compound could slow it down. Yet it dodged to the side, as if it was anticipating such an action, sharply turning and running in another direction. Blake reached for another, but it was too late.

The Beowolf leapt toward a tree and climbed, quickly disappearing from her sight and falling silent. She tried to find its position, hoping that it hadn't run off. She could still smell the damn thing, but she could no longer gauge its position. She moved toward the center once with footfall crunching beneath her, and she looked down while sorely regretting it.

Remains of bones, bleached by the sun and time, were laid out around her and they were much too large to be anything considered small game. She froze, slowly looking around as they continued to surround her and found half of what ones remained a skull. A person's skull…

She had walked into the Beowolf's den, its very own killing ground and her stomach turned. Blake refused to think of how many people whose lives were ended by the beast, but forced herself to focus on killing the Grimm. She would need to draw it out somehow as it continued to hide within the treetops. Her light would only last for so long before exhausting all of the oil and burning out, leaving her vulnerable in the dark. Blake pulled out a few oil urns and began to throw them at the treeline, hoping to cover as much ground as she could. Depleting most of those supplies, she unfastened a few Molotov bottles from their belts and began to light and threw them toward the edges den.

If the beast couldn't be coaxed, then she would force it out of hiding.

Flames burst to life upon the impact, sustained by the oils spread throughout the ground, and provided a better area of light than her now dwindling torch. She allowed for it to drop to the ground as she separated her weapon into cleaver and katana, hands gripping familiarly at them. She could hear the beast growling from her right, and she shifted the katana into its kusarigama form to fire off a few rounds. The Beowolf leapt from its hiding spot to avoid being hit, but Blake had already moved across the space to meet the beast head on.

She fired out round after round and led the beast toward her as it continued to evade. If she could bring it within striking distance then the fight would end quickly, leaving her more time to search for the others. The beast rounded on her and sent another slash her way, forcing Blake to duck under and slash at the underbelly with her cleaver. The wound proved too shallow, leaving a red line in its wake, but it was enough to garner the permanent attention from the Old Beowolf. The beast turned to face her and gave chase but was kept at bay as she began to whip the kusarigama in devastating arcs. Whenever it tried to sneak in an attack, she would whip the arcing blade across exposed limbs and the bony face plate. She would agitate it enough with the hopes that it would go for an attack, leaving itself wide open.

The beast finally lunged, limbs extended toward her and Blake tugged at the ribbon to fire off a round mid-swing. The blade now spun wildly toward the exposed neck of the Old Beowolf, yet the beast angled its head slightly so the blade would skim off the spikes on its back. Her eyes grew wide at the realization, but it was too late for Blake to withdraw her weapon. She raised her cleaver with both hands to stop the gaping maw just a few inches away from her face; fangs gnawing around the thick blade in hopes of finishing the job. Knees bent under the weight of the creature, and she could feel her muscles burn from the exertion of trying to maintain the only defense between them. When the blade would not yield, the Old Beowolf used the moment to strike at her unguarded sides, talons tearing across her stomach and threw the girl across the grass.

Despite the cracking and crunching of the bones, Blake winced at the pain searing across her stomach and reached for a blood vial from her grey coat. The beast wouldn't allow her a moments rest and the girl was forced to dodge another lunge as she jammed the needle against her leg; screaming out in pain as the blood began to work through her body to close the wound. Bleary eyes squinted through the night and fires, keeping the beast in her sight as it rounded on her again; this time team gnashing towards her. The wounds had yet to fully close and Blake tried to throw herself back while frantically trying to summon a clone to take her place. She had allowed fear to overtake her and had forgotten the absence of the very thing that had saved her life countless times before.

She could feel each individual fang pierce her body as the Old Beowolf bit down around her torso. The pressure crushing her could never match the unanimous agony of body being shaken about wildly, her cries filling the night as the beast made do with her as a pup to a toy. Blake couldn't move or feel her right arm as a fang dug deeper into her shoulder blade, her left hand uselessly trying to stab at the creature with a hidden throwing knife. The sharpened blade merely scratched against the bone plate near the eye, and when the Beast noticed, it flung her body against the trunk of a tree far across the field once more.

It watched how the body collapsed and remained still on the ground.

It sniffed the air, recognizing the familiar scent of death that would before those small creatures that dared to enter its den. But it knew that these things were never to be trusted, and approached Blake cautiously.

Her whole body surged with pain, feeling where the muscles tensed against broken bone, and she could no longer cry out. She couldn't feel any of her extremities but she could hear the Old Beowolf slowly make its way towards her.

She never did hear many stories about the Huntsmen or Huntresses who survived Grimm attacks at the cost of their limbs. Maybe they would know just how much her body had hurt, but another thought crept into her mind as the panting breath drew near. What would become of her? Would she be gobbled up like the children in all those stories she grew up reading about? They made it seem so painless, being swallowed whole. But by the remains around her, she knew it wouldn't be the case… Would be devoured in pieces, and would her immovable body be able to feel the whole process? Sibyll had "killed" her plenty of times in spars but it had been swift. She tried to will her body to move, to fight back, or do **anything** if it meant to avoid every Hunter's nightmare.

" _Ah, what a shame…To think you showed such promise…"_

How?

How could she hear his voice or even know what he would say if he saw her?

" _You were so determined to stay by their side. Perhaps their faith in you was misjudged?"_

No… No, he was wrong!

" _Then stand and finish your fight. Or are you going to run like you always do?"_

Shut up! He and Adam didn't know a damn thing about her!

" _If you cannot even best a single beast on your own, then how can you survive?"_

I know…

" _Do you not wish to fight for your life or the life of her family?"_

I know!

" _You have all the weapons you will ever need to kill it, so_ _ **finish**_ _the damn thing!"_

"I KNOW!" Blake roared as she propped her body from with her left arm.

The Old Beowolf flinched as the girl's body struggled to stand. Her limbs buckled under like a newborn fawn, yet the beast could see something in her eyes; a glint of desperation and anger that most of its prey had before it killed it. A warning snarl grew in its throat as Blake was able to force herself to her knees and fell back against the body of the tree. She forced her legs to stand as best she could while her right arm hung limply at her side.

But she would not yield, nor would she allow herself to fail now of all times.

Red eyes squinted at her, the final sound of a howl, and the thumping of limbs against the earth heading towards her was all Blake could focus on. This was her **stand** and she would be damned if she went back to her team a failure. Even as she could feel the rancid breath from its widened mouth, she would not lose. And it was there she could feel _**it**_ as she could hear Sibyll describe it in her mind.

" _There is a moment every Hunter faces in their first hunt; one which separates the weak from the determined. And you will know that moment has come when you are on the verge of death with the beast before you. You will_ _ **not**_ _run nor will you have any remaining sense of fear within you."_

The Old Beowolf was close enough for Blake to see her own reflection in those empty, crimson eyes as she pulled out her Hunter's pistol within her coat and fired.

" _And when you best the odds… when you best a creature so much greater than you…"_

The impact of the quicksilver bullet had not been a thing the beast had ever felt before, feeling immeasurable which tore through its body, and left behind a fire from within. It crashed to the ground, limbs flailing about wildly and weakly as it tried to make sense of this foreign sensation. Yet the Old Beowolf's eyes found the girl standing over it, so weak and broken, and it couldn't help but fear the **predator** before it.

" _ **That**_ _is when you know…"_

Blake reared her left hand back as far as she could, conjuring as much pain and anger her body could ever hold, she screamed out into the night as she struck the staggered beast.

" _For the first time in this insufferable, eternal life… You will feel_ _ **alive**_ _."_

Her hand, through a foreign sense of power, tore through the flesh of creature easily. Blake found that she had buried her arm deep into the Old Beowolf's throat, and she could feel and hear it gag as her fingers wrapper around as a thick portion of muscle.

" _That feeling of victory is the only thing left which defines us, which pushes us to finish the Hunt and take back the life which the Scourge had stolen."_

With a final effort, Blake pulled her arm free of the beast and taking with it the remains of its throat. The great mass of black fur and white bone collapsed before her, the sound of a brief gurgle falling into silence. Blood from the creature's wounds began to shift into a crimson mist, seeking her out and finding solace in her various wounds. She could feel the warmth of the blood fill her body, readjusting and mending broken bones. The pain wracking her body dulled, and in its place was… a sense of empowerment.

She had won.

Blake had beaten a beast that could have been considered a solitary Alpha on her own, without her aura, and **killed** it. She looked to her hands, glossed with red and then looked to the best before her. She had done it and survived. She was… ecstatic… She was… thrilled… She was… **better than it**. Blake had removed the Thread Cane holstered at her side and, with a swift motion, plunged the pointed end into the now fading bony plate.

It was nothing now!

See!?

Nothing!

Nothing but a pile of evaporating meat that **she** had killed.

And she could hear herself laughing with delight and she struck the corpse over and over.

" _But be wary of that feeling Blake… Many have been driven mad by that sensation alone, and it has always cost them dearly; by their own hands or hands like mine."_

Before she could stab the Cane into the beast once more, her legs buckled beneath her as memories began to swarm her mind. She could smell the forest so strongly in the spring, how all of her limbs felt when she ran on all fours after another human. Just like the others, it had come to find her, to try and kill her in **her** forest. But she had done to the man what she had done to the rest of them; lead him to her den and tear him piece by piece. She remembered how they all **_tasted_** , especially the ones that looked like animals… Those were her **favorite** to hunt. Those were the ones she played with the most before she dragged their bodies back to feed on later.

Oh, what a lovely taste they all were…

Blake retched onto the earth, gripping her mended stomach tightly as she tried to empty the sick feeling from her body and mind. Her head ached with the vivid details playing before her mind, and she tried to shut them out as best she could. But she _knew_ what her people tasted like to these… these damned monsters! Another dry heave rocked her body as the memories faded into the background, but she could never forget those feelings…

Her gaze looked up weakly to the back of the Beowolf, finding her intended target still tied to the spike. She did her best to gather herself and a few of things before moving to remove the object itself. It resembled a saw of some sort, carved from what she believed to be rusted metal; the side inscribed with a language she didn't recognize.

She placed the badge around her neck and searched for Gambol Shroud in the dying firelight around her. When all of her belongings had been accounted for, she pulled out her scroll to find it thankfully undamaged. An hour after midnight…

Slowly, she disappeared into the Emerald Forest once more.

One down, four to go…

* * *

Ruby watched nervously as Sibyll poured himself another cup of tea silently, his attention more focused on the drink than the woman now sitting across from him; eyes scanning the pages of the book before her. When they had seen Raven's image appear before them, Ruby's surprise had been shared with Weiss and Yang as the young hunter looked to them for an answer. Even as their eyes scanned the floor to search for the source, they could only find that unusual foggy presence on the ground. Weiss believed that he was in possession of some form of advanced surveillance but discarded the notion with how little of it was integrated with his "home". But it portrayed a perfect representation of Raven and in such a natural state that she might have actually _been_ here when Sibyll and Chisa had gone. The heiress couldn't fathom why if the woman expressed a great deal of subtlety of their observation of the young hunter, yet be caught herself in… whatever that.

The young reaper tried her best to lie about knowing such a person, but Yang had admitted to their connection right away. For the brawler, if they were caught then there was no need to act ignorantly. Should the worse case scenario happen, it would still be a four-on-one fight in their favor. She may not know her mo—Raven's— fighting style, but for her to live this long proved something. Yang had called her and informed her that Sibyll had caught Raven in the act of snooping around while away. The older woman protested that she made sure no trace was left behind, the brawler mentioned the signature red feather as well as "her ghost" (she tried to phrase) implicating her at the scene. The line went dead, and everyone within the building could hear the warped sound of rushing air outside.

A brief knock and an entry later, Sibyll had finally met with his "intruder".

He made no comment about Raven's mirror-like appearance to Yang as he invited her to sit, preparing another cup of tea for the cautious woman. Strangely, Sibyll acted as if he anticipated her arrival and entreated her to open with a few questions.

Questions that was antagonistic in nature.

"What are you?" Raven had asked.

"A Hunter. Although by your expression you suspect something else of me."

Crimson eyes set in a glare as the woman gripped the handle of her weapon tightly. The action did not go unnoticed by the young hunter and allowed her the moment elaborate.

" _Your_ kind died out long before the kingdoms came to be. There shouldn't be any trace of the Blood Hunters anywhere…"

The words themselves came of as a warning, but he couldn't help but feel intrigued over the implication placed on him.

"Blood Hunters?" he asked. "You mean to say your world had some faction resembling the Vilebloods?"

It was then that their discussion became much darker as they both learned of each other's history.

Raven had shared (as briefly as she could) the history behind the Blood Hunters existing before kingdoms; their methods in hunting down the Grimm as well as the rituals and worships to ambiguous and obscure deities. It eerily resembled the early Yharnamites and the creatures they too worshiped, but depictions Sibyll had seen in the dungeons he ventured into were always… unsettling. If he were to assume anything, then whatever creatures they praised could very well exist or have long been slain. The young hunter participated in a few joint ventures with several others, taking down beings no sane person would believe.

But these "people" (she scoffed at the idea) were more ruthless and violent as a result of their thirst for blood. The manner of which they consumed blood sent shivers through the other girls, reminded of the details, but Sibyll merely frowned. He was especially interested in how the origins of these Hunters predated both aura and dust. Ruby had told him that their history books could only trace so far back, but the woman before him explained more than the young girl knew. If these Blood Hunters were anything like the Vilebloods of Castle Cainhurst, then there must be some explanation to the similarities between their worlds. The degradation of sanity, the empowerment of fell beasts, and the blood thirst all matched the symptoms and practices of the most basic of a Hunter's Workshop; even if those hunters were primordial at best.

The only concerning detail remained with the aspect of the soul.

There were **no** records or study on anything of that nature from his world.

Granted, there were rumors about "aura" heralding from the east but it was only speculation within a philosophical and spiritual stance. The closest thing to humoring that thought was the lore telling how one's soul was born from a great fire long ago in a time of darkness. How a small, flickering representation of will can grow to attain power or dwindle into nothingness. Tales men and women slaying all manners of demons and beasts to light the world once again, yet only to repeat the process when the fires they light begin to fade.

But those were stories Hunters would tell themselves in a quiet moment; something to bolster their spirit when the Hunt proved too long or arduous.

Sibyll had tried to confirm it himself by asking Miss Scarlatina to see if his soul was "locked" as he and Ruby initially thought. It had taken some convincing but when she had tired… The poor girl's state only furthered her wariness of him when she recoiled in pain. From what she could describe, it was as if her soul reached out into nothing and felt itself tearing apart slowly. To force something into nothing and having it suffer a corrosive like effect?

It was even stranger how she remarked that only those with their aura in a great state of disrepair felt similar. Velvet had told him that Fox was in a similar situation, suffering from past traumas that interfered with his aura. Only when the blind hunter had sorted it out with his team did his soul become stronger as did his aura. Ruby had stated that all living things aside from Grimm had souls, so, by the logic alone, _if_ he did have any aura, he deduced that the contract had completely shattered it as it did for Blake.

The girl's dream described it as much, but that may only be a unique case to her. Sibyll's dreams were only of blood and fire, undergoing a similar process as his apprentice and… something else he couldn't remember.

In any case, these were all points he brought forth when Raven suggested that the young hunter's origin was **their** past and tried _refute_ it.

Yharnam itself never encountered anything like the Grimm or found anything as puzzling as Dust found within the earth. The workshops did not trace as far back as the Blood Hunters did for Remnant, nor were they rudimentary in their tools in practices. Their weapons were crafted to hold several uses to avoid being encumbered, and the invention of Quicksilver Bullets trumped their "parallel" compatriots. His own journey and study proved as much and, with equal reluctance, provided proof of the accounts of his world's history as well as its pasts.

If Dust and Aura were the origins of Remnant, then blood and madness were Yharnam's.

But if they wanted conclusive answers, he would need a sample to be sure; a decision he was wary of committing to. It was a curiosity he knew not to tamper with, and he would prefer to destroy any existing blood than entertain the thought of such similarities.

Sibyll continued to wait patiently, studying the woman as she slowly closed the book and returned it to him. He allowed the Messengers in his lap to return it to the Dream, picking up the surprise from the girl's as the book vanished altogether. Raven stared as the now dying fire, private thoughts forming over and over as she considered everything that had happened before this point. Her own journey had taken her across the globe, trying to fix her mistake, trying to prevent such tainted knowledge from being shared, and yet… everything was only growing more difficult. The book she was allowed to study couldn't have been false; valid signs of age from exposure to the elements and light, the ink considerably faded. If she was concerned about the person in possession of her book then, she was _more_ anxious about the man before now.

"Who else knows of this?" she questioned without meeting his eyes.

"Ozpin understands my reason for being here, and Miss Rose's team is partly entitled through Miss Belladonna. The rest are left hopefully in the dark."

"Still, there are too many people involved…"

"My concerns exactly, but hopefully your brother's findings will help staunch the progress of our mutual adversary. If I may ask, though, what is **your** role in this?"

Raven turned to finally study the young hunter who remained relaxed in his seat, setting down the cup and saucer to recline in his armchair. She knew not to undermine his unassuming state. The days spent trailing him with RWBY's help had shone that, while in relatively safe company, his eyes were constantly keeping watch of his surroundings. He would occasionally scan the tops of buildings, leading her to suspect that he had caught on, but it was a gesture made for the sake of assurance; as if he was expecting an ambush from above. Even the incident with the "pickpocket", she noticed how he singled the girl out as the anomaly within the crowd, baiting and trapping her where he wanted her.

Those weren't the actions of a "normal" hunter, but of someone who had more than just practice with targeting specific people within a group. Just as she over heard his assessment of this Emerald girl, Sibyll exhibited a naturalness in pursuing _human_ targets. She would not allow herself to become corned by his prodding questions. They each had information, sharing just a bit with one another, but she could not allow any more of her work to be exposed. Yang and her team would be the only exception as the situation demanded it, but she would not allow him that same courtesy.

"That's private," Raven finally answered.

"I see…" He rested his chin on a propped up hand. "And I suppose protecting your private matters allows you to invade mine?"

A brief snap of his fingers and Raven found the entirety of room filled with her own images as Yang informed her off. Blue, transparent figures moved about the room; all searching about the various nooks and crannies in unison. One particular "phantom" bent down to where the concealed trapdoor was and her image attempted to life the latch to no avail. That particular Raven, still wearing her mask, rubbed her chin in thought before disappearing in a hazy and swirling blue light; the moment she had used her portal to search the basement. And just as they arrived, they faded into nothing as the young hunter spoke up once more.

"If I may be honest, you truly are your brother's sister and Yang's mother," Sibyll complimented. "Your persistence is measured like Qrow's, but unrelenting like your daughter's. I would applaud your dedicated efforts were I not _displeased_ with the current situation."

Even as he sat relaxed in his seat, Ruby could see for the first time the young hunter scowl; an expression only bolstered by the shadows across his face. It was a degree of fury that she would consider equal to her sister's, but she shivered as his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"I invited Miss Rose and her team here so that they can be informed of what they should expect of the oncoming threats. It would be better for all four of them to be prepared than the one under my mentoring, and hopefully they too would become allies. I am in no position to be particular in the help I can receive because that is the very thing I am in dire need of."

Sibyll spared Ruby a quick glance before continuing.

"Even if they were to decline my request, I would feel much more confident if we earned a better understanding of each other. I do not wish to create any further complications between us, and yet here you are."

He leaned forward slightly, hands folded neatly together as he rested his chin upon them.

"I can forgive their involvement for they remain ignorant of what may come. What I do **not** appreciate is someone undermining my competency by dodging my inquiries. You know as well as I do that there are greater dangers to be addressed, work which needs to be done, but you choose to act coyly when the need for subtlety has expired. You know more that could aid me in saving your kingdom, and, while I may not your preferred company, I would deeply appreciate your brief cooperation. So, would you _kindly_ tell me what your role in this is?"

Raven carefully measured the indirect threat behind his words. It was true that she could share her mission with him if it meant dividing the work between securing the book and sorting loose ends. But the young hunter had proven himself to be more of a detriment than a source of aid; she had seen the aftermath of Addersfield and the battles of Ozpin and Qrow. Yang was right to distrust him as did the rest of her team. How could she trust someone who, despite not being connected to Remnant's gruesome past, embodies everything she vowed to fight against? The girl living with him was a result of his actions, orphaning her by becoming involved with innocent bystanders. Raven had seen the damage done by the Alpha Beowolf; its tracks following the young hunter for miles near the settlements outside the wall.

And despite the many years of absence, the man had attacked her brother… and involved Yang…

"I'm to ensure that forbidden knowledge does not tear apart everything we uphold," she answered.

"Then we are the same."

Sibyll had looked so sure in his answer, his conviction clearly conveyed as he stood and extended a hand. He could see the White Bow Messenger rise up out of his palm, and presenting him with a Bold Hunter's Mark. He took the cloth and allowed the Messenger climb up his arm as he presented them the mark of all hunters.

"Miss Rose once informed me that each Huntsman and Huntress bears a symbol of their family or identity. We do not have such practices where I have come from, but the sentiment is all the same. This symbol here," he gestures to the Bold Hunter's Mark, "is carved within our minds the moment our Contracts are finalized. This is the vow we pledged to uphold and this is our insurance to finish out work…"

"What do you mean by insurance?" Weiss spoke up from her seat beside Ruby's.

"Hunters tied to the Dream can never truly die. In exchange for our brief immortality, we give our services to those in need of them; beasts terrorizing towns and cities, the afflicted causing environmental hazards, or hunters who have gone frenzied from the blood."

"The ones who aren't like you and Blake, right?" Ruby asked for clarification.

"Exactly, but not quite so. There have been cases where Contracted Hunters have been consumed by overindulgence of blood as well, and many of us would be called to end their madness."

"But you just said you couldn't _'die'_ if you kept up with your work. How can you kill something that would just come back anyways?" Yang pointed out.

"The more important question," Sibyll countered, "is _how_ one came into that state in the first place?"

The young hunter stood from his seat and moved to the motionless Doll; ever so still and vigilant in her sleep. Even as they watched him curiously (or warily), he reached out and allowed his fingers to brush the locks of hair away from its face.

"What many do not know is that we Hunters absorb the memories of the slain. From the beasts, it could very well be their entire lives, hunting down each other or innocent folk. The memories we receive from the afflicted… are always painful."

He allowed his hand to drop, and moved to readjust the blanket on the Doll's lap.

"Most of the time, the memories we take are the ones where we hunt them. We experience their suffering, their fear, as if they were our own; their ragged breaths, their desperation, everything. For most, that would be the point where one's sanity is truly broken. The remorse they feel for the afflicted, knowing full well they were never truly in control of themselves, is what drives the weakest of hunters to madness. It is why I try to view my work as _merciful_ rather than _vindictive_."

Yang scoffed at his remark, but he continued his solemn reflection.

"But then there are those who **enjoy** it."

Sibyll knew the temptation the stronger Hunters felt. He had tasted the brief satisfaction of his prey's misery, how their weakness only proved his superiority over them, and forced him to purge those thoughts in the Hunter's Dream. As much as he tried, there were nights where hunting down the afflicted had been a game in a dull and lifeless world. Most of the beasts had become too predictable and desperate people proved to be persistent in their desire to live. It was why he searched so desperately for the Doll after Ruby had killed him the first time.

That particular moment of frenzy reminded Sibyll he was no more exempt from those dangers than a fledgling like Blake. At least with the Doll, he could give her the memories haunting his thoughts and find solace in the quite solitude of the Dream.

"What becomes of them?" Raven asked.

"Just like the rest, we hunt them down."

"But you just said—"

"I am aware of that Miss Xiao Long," Sibyll interjected. "But nothing remains immortal for long."

"You're still talking in circles," Weiss remarked. "You speak of an undying life but even _you_ can be killed?"

"…Yes."

"H-How?" Ruby's voice wavered slightly.

"There are… unwritten conditions in each of our Contracts. I do not know what they entail but there had been rumors about them… Should they be breached, our ties to the Dreams are severed and we become mortal once again. I have brought up the dangers we Hunters face for a reason and that reason alone is why I try very hard **not** to succumb to it…"

Raven and the girls remained quiet, allowing his words to take form. But it was the young reaper who realized what Sibyll had meant, the smile from her nightmares forming in the back of her mind.

"The more you hunt, the easier it is for you to lose control…" she spoke.

He nodded and Ruby felt fear surge through her body. She had seen what had become of him and if it happened to Blake… She didn't know when the others heard her whimpering quietly, but it was enough to elicit attention from Yang and Weiss. The brawler had moved first, pulling the young girl into her arms protectively as she began to shake. Ruby tried her best to stop her hands from shaking, even when Yang held them in hers. But the brawler couldn't hide what the young girl saw; a familiar crimson colored her hands at the mere thought of trying to stop Blake in that state. Ruby had done it for Sibyll out of panic but she knew her weapon could never be turned on the former faunus.

But if she kept Blake with them, there might be a chance that…

If it did happen, she, Weiss, and Yang would have to…

Even if they didn't want to, even if Blake didn't mean to…

For Sibyll, it was a matter of discipline and self control; both of which had been broken in that bout with the Headmaster. He knew that Blake would be suffering a great deal of pain this night… While he had warned her of the dangers, there was still a sense of doubt and, admittedly, worry for the young girl. Fledglings like her **always** struggle with the first few memories. He had done for her as Gehrman did for him, but he knew it was never that simple. Oh, he was confident that she would succeed. If Sibyll had trained her as well as his mentor, then she would have made short work of the targets he prepared.

But he was not testing her skill…

Instead, he was testing her control.

The calling of the blood was a temptation she would have to brave herself, and it was a rite he could not aid her in. Only the weak succumb to the sweet melodies of the crimson, and only the strong are wise enough to turn away from its "solace". Over time, she would learn to tune out the memories of the fallen, to ignore their voices as she continues to grow stronger. Her tolerance for the memories would be bolstered all thanks to _her_ appearance.

"Which is why that I am relieved to have found her," Sibyll added as he rested a gentle hand on the Doll's shoulder. "She may appear unassuming, but her role will surely keep Miss Belladonna from facing such misfortune. So please do not fret Ruby; you will not have to face such a thing ever again."

He moved to reach out to the young reaper, careful not to antagonize Yang or Weiss, but the heiress stepped protectively between her partner and him. Raven remained in her seat, her eyes never allowing him to leave her sight as he retracted his hand and moved to return to his seat.

"While I find that hard to believe, it still doesn't explain _what_ happens to these 'Hunters' if they break their contracts," she summarized. The issue itself remained a large facet of concern, even if the girls' efforts were directed into limiting their teammate's exposure.

"You know you have truly killed them if the body remains behind," Sibyll answered. "It is the first clear indicator which proves Hunters of the Dream have forfeited their roles."

"The other?"

"You examine their eyes. The corneas should look discolored and as if it collapsed on itself; one of the first signs of beasthood. And because the Dream had prevented us from succumbing to it, we risk becoming a beast without it."

"So you and Blake are technically still infected then. You never really saved her," Yang remarked and glared at Sibyll as he nodded.

"If we were not, my blood would never have turned the Alpha in the first place. Without it though, your partner would have been buried instead of being out there trying to prove herself."

The brawler growled, but was stopped as Raven moved to stand before him.

"You're still leaving something out on purpose."

"It is well within reason to do so," Sibyll countered. "I am willing to share as much as I can, but there are things—"

He stopped, finding the tip of her blade pressing against his neck in warning. Orange eyes looked up carefully, finding the woman's face devoid of any emotion as she pressed the weapon a bit further against him.

"Talk."

Sibyll had hoped _this_ was something he would never have to explain. How the woman figured he out he was dodging certain aspects of their questions was beyond him, but he would have to answer them now. Granted, he could allow her to kill him and the young hunter could very well come back. But then there would be a mess he'd had to clean, Chisa being a light sleeper, and having to deal with four other women who more or less distrusted (Ruby) or despised (Weiss, Yang, Raven) him. He had yet to warn Blake himself about it, particularly because he never intended to in the first place. If she was wise enough to heed his warning, she would never put herself in such dangers.

"There _is_ an explanation as to why the body is left behind, although I find myself having difficulty believing any of it.."

"That reason being?" Raven prodded further.

"The Hunter's Nightmare has no need for the body if it punishes Hunters through their mind. A bit on the nose with the naming, but my mentor never had patience for pretty words."

The young hunter reached up and pushed the blade aside.

"I do not know how Gehrman knows of such a place, but he has warned all of us about the indulgences of blood. We grow from it, learn from it, but some forget to **fear** it. And from what he has shared, your mind will be forever trapped in an endless Hunt; killing the same beasts over and over until your sanity shatters or you come embrace the futility of the Nightmare."

"All this talk of 'dreams' and 'nightmares' proves nothing. We have no guarantee that you'll stop being a threat once this is all over."

"That is something you'll have to place your faith in blindly."

The young hunter's glare matched evenly with the woman as he crossed one leg over the other.

"To you and the rest it may be truly unbelievable, but that is a 'truth' I have had to face. We have a common goal tying us together now whether we wish for it or not. Hopefully when this is over we can serve to be better allies."

"Mind your arrogance boy," she warned. "Even when the fighting is done, don't forget you're a loose end that has to be dealt with."

Raven sheathed her blade and moved toward the girls, giving them each a brief look before standing off to the side. The young hunter sighed as he turned to them, doing his best to restore their initial atmosphere of an open conversation. Sibyll already knew this was never going to be easy as he could very well sound like a madman to them. In this world, he couldn't help but believe it himself but semantics would serve for another time. He promised Ruby answers and he would provide them; even if the young girl was still too young and kind; even if a part of her yearned to understand, but feared him.

"So, is there anything else you would like to know? You three surely have many questions and I will answer them as best as I can. Perhaps, Miss Belladonna would be in better spirits if we found some common ground?" he suggested hopefully.

* * *

"I'm gonna kill him when I get back," Blake swore through panting breaths. She forced her tired legs to run away deeper into the forest, hoping the beast behind her slowed down. She felt the badges bouncing wildly against her chest, the distinctive clatter of wood and metals that hung around her neck.

"No matter how many times it'll take, I am going to _kill_ that man for this stupid…"

She ducked under an oncoming branch.

"…unfair…"

She made a sharp right, just barely avoiding the open jaws that struck the earth behind her.

"…sadistic…"

Pulling out the Hunter's Pistol, she turned quickly and fired into the darkness. The creature hissed sharply as it recoiled, but remained hot in its pursuit.

"…bullshit of a test!"

Blake's feet felt the ground begin to slope downward, and moved accordingly; careful not to trip or snag her foot on something in her escape. Behind her the trees snapped and groaned under the immense weight forcing itself through. She didn't have too look back to see the King Taijitu's approach, but she couldn't help her eyes being drawn back to the beast; particularly the one with the white head. Even in the darkness, she saw the badge glow brightly from the knife it was tied securely to; the very same knife buried deeply into the scales atop of the snake's head. How Sibyll placed it there and _escaped_ was beyond her, but she made a mental note to return a considerable amount of pain. If she had to, she'd make their sparring more difficult for him after everything she had been through tonight.

After the Old Beowolf, she had found the next set of badges in similar fashions with various types of Grimm:

The badge resembling the hilt and blade of a sword was fixed to the back of a Boarbatusk; one of which had grown to a large size as well. With all beasts she had seen from Port's class, that one resembled the Old Beowolf in age as well in its solitude. The curved tusks had grown to have jagged edges unlike the smoothness of its fledgling brothers. It even used its open territory to its advantage, forcing Blake to constantly evade its saw-like attack patterns; kicking up the dirt to obscure her already diminished visibility.

Then there was the Ursa Major who "wore" the badge resembling a large eye. At that point, Blake had suspected Sibyll of not only picking the most dangerous of Grimm (in terms of their age and experience), but toying with her. The Major towered over her, leaving itself open as if to proudly show the scars from the hunters it had bested. Not only that, that damned thing had been arrogant enough o roar at her as a taunt. It had hoped to goad her into making the mistake most cocky first years fell into in trying to prove themselves. The only other troublesome thing about the beast was its thickened hide. Unlike her initiation, Blake struggled with cutting through its matted fur and was forced to rely on counter the beast. The smell of blood still clung to her clothes even after it had disappeared.

The badge that she believed had been the last straw was when she tracked and discovered a herd of Ratheons. A whole herd had prepared and waited for her in _formation_ , and tried to gore her down with their plentiful antlers. She was glad that she had been able to startle them with a Molotov but this was territory breaching into suspicion. Was this his way of getting back at them for the trouble they put him through? She counted twelve of them within the herd and she was only able to pick out the "leader" from the badge the sparked in the darkness like electricity around its neck. While Joffrins were much smaller in stature, and lacked any considerable strength, their power lies in their obnoxious barks. The shrill shrieks somehow commanded the herd to act in unison, more often to protect itself as Port once lectured. It had been easy enough to kill the damned thing, but dealing with all of them had taken up too much time.

And here she was now: traversing down the slope as the Taijitu followed after. There was a small drop that gave way to a small space that she ducked and hid under. It allowed her a moment to catch her breath as the slithering body crashed into the space in front of her; both heads searching for her.

She was concealed closer to the ground, but she knew that pieces of warranted negative emotions kept the beast close. It was hard, trying to temper her _justified_ anger towards the young hunter who had planned this for her. What troubled her most were the memories whispering at the back of her mind and the strange thirst at the building in her throat. The canteen of water she had prepared proved useless to satiate that dryness. It burned something awful, something she would never wish on her enemies. But she had forced those urges to the back of her mind as she evaluated her current circumstances.

Without the protection of her aura, fighting the beast was completely out of the question.

While considered average size (if thirty feet in length was "small") within its species, the King Taijitu still towered over her and proved much quicker than she cared to admit. Such creatures struck through ambush and struck fast, only giving chase of their prey when people were involved. It wasn't an ideal situation to be in, yet Blake knew when a fight wasn't worth pursuing. That only left the badge that stuck to one of the snake's head, the black one, while the white twin licked at the air around them. Out of all the Grimm that she had to face as a final test and it had to be the one which proved over centuries the most cunning and in sync. The beast knew she was nearby, her fury palpable to them, but Blake knew that the design still resembled its non-Grimm brethren.

As far as seeing in the dark went, it was just as blind as she was with the exception of the scent her body left behind; a veritable trail left behind while the Taijitu struck the "head" of the path as best it could. Even if they were graced with the morning light, those crimson orbs could still make out movement despite its lack of sharpness. Add to that two predatory minds working in tandem, Blake would have bet against herself if given the choice.

The beast jerked its head toward her direction as the unintentional negativity, hissing aggressively as it reared its black head back; the white twin taking the initiative covering a potential escape route. Blake quickly took stock her remaining supplies, finding just a handful of throwing knives left with the single unused Molotov and Quicksilver Bullet. She had already exhausted her Blood Vials from the missteps and skirmishes from the previous beasts, leaving her to rely solely on evasion now. She could hear it lowering its head to the grass, putrid breath washing over her as its forked tongued flickered out. The tendril like muscle grazed against her and she knew the beast had found her.

Blake rolled out from her cover as the Taijitu reared back and struck the grounds. Dirty rained over her as she raised Gambol Shroud to strike at the exposed underbelly, leaving behind a deep but non-fatal wound. Blood spilled onto her face and obscured her vision, but she forced herself into a run alongside the scaled body in hopes the creature wouldn't attack its own. The hissing grew sharper as she rubbed away the blood, blindly throwing the knives where the sound was the sharpest. Metal sunk itself the flesh while the others clattered across the thicker scales. It bought Blake enough time to squint at her surroundings as both snakes began to coil around her in retaliation. Higher and higher their bodies surrounded, walls of scaled flesh her trap, until only their eyes loomed over head. The only light remaining came from the shining badge, and she knew she couldn't propel herself upward like she used to.

Instead, she put away her weapon and drew forth her Hunter's pistol and Molotov, waiting for either of the heads to strike first. The trap she was in was too narrow for both to strike at once and she depended heavily on her eyes adjusting to the darkness.

"I promise to kill him if I survive this," she swore under her breath.

The white head of the Taijitu bared its fangs and struck.

At same time, Blake threw the lit Molotov towards the oncoming attack and watched as the bottle skimmed over its armor plated head.

It was a completely and utter miss, one she had prayed so desperately for. She raised and aimed the pistol, lined up the shot, and fired. The impact of the quicksilver bullet created a fiery explosion that blew outward, scorching the eyes and flesh. She would hear the beast hiss erratically as it recoiled backward, swinging its head wildly in an attempt to stifle the pain. The walls of flesh began to uncoil, but the black head of the Taijitu remained adamant as it struck as well. Blake had found an opening within the all the pained writhing and dove between the open spaces, successfully threading the beast unto itself. She continued to dive in and out of the coils with the black head in tow, and she finally broke into a run away fro the beast.

Her feet pounded the earth once more, willing herself to move forward into the thicker parts of the forest once more. She could hear the trees behind her crunch and snap, but begin to wane as the hissing continued. Turning back, she could see the Taijitu snagged between a cluster of trees trying to snap at her as best as it could. The head with the badge struck at full force and always just stopping short before trying again. The white twin had taken to rubbing the burns against anything it could soothe the pain, but struggled against the knot at their center. Blake couldn't help but grin at her work, the mishap at the beast's expense before her a familiar image flashed before her eyes.

 _She stood in a different forest where the air carried a vile scent with it. Something sinister lurked about that she could sense but not see. She walked carefully down the worn, sloping path where she could_ _ **hear**_ _it. Something slithered across the ground, but their collective hisses brought forth an uncomfortable anticipation. She followed the path to the sound to find a sudden drop into a darkened pit where the hissing could be heard at its base. Blake had peered over carefully and was met with a multitude of eyes staring back; a mass of entangled, slither bodies quivered at the sight of her, heads rearing up and baring their fangs. To say the beast was huge would be an understatement; two of the larger snakes coiled and entwined with one another as the smallest of its kin created the "ball" of their base. She could also hear an unusual retching noise and she recoiled away from the hole as something shot upward. Landing a bit a ways from her, she investigated the purplish substance clinging to the ground; the source of the putrid smell in the air._

 _Poison._

 _And by the way the silence of the night was broken by various hissing, she knew of the trouble she would soon face._

Blake shook the memory out of her head, hoping to finish as soon as she could. Her eyes returned to the brightly glowing badge still fastened to the Taijitu's head. Approaching its striking range would be foolish after everything she had worked toward in securing her escape. Still, she knew she couldn't go empty handed and reached for her Threaded Cane. It all came down to the timing as she stepped forward carefully to the beast which had reared its head back once more.

A step was met with a predatory hiss.

Another step had the beast baring its fangs, salivating as she crept.

One more—

Blake threw her body back into a back flip, pushing of the ground with her hands as hard as she could when the head struck the earth. A flick of the wrist brought the metallic whip forward, wrapping around the hilt of the knife and dislodging its completely. Another swift motion sent a pair of her own knives directly into the Black Taijitu's right eye. The beast hissed as it flailed about wildly, unable to remove the foreign objective now permanently in its eye. She caught the badge midair as the Cane retracted into itself and couldn't help notice the similarity it shared with another bade; the same blade and hilt now casting of a white light. She hung it securely around her neck like the rest.

She had finally done it.

With all five badges accounted for, Blake set off to trace her path back home as tired legs limp and dragged forward. The adrenaline in her body had ceased and she could feel every ache of her muscle, ever groan that passed her lips as she climbed the slope and continued to walk. She had experience aura exhaustion once before when Adam was teaching her to control her semblance, but the pain then could never match this. Her body protested with each step, her mind going so far as to entertain the thought of dropping to the forest floor to sleep off her fatigue and injuries. It was a tempting offer, one that pushed passed even as tired eyes began to droop down threateningly.

But she had to get back to them. She didn't need her scroll to know that dawn would soon be approach and the way back was just as far from when she came.

Still…

The only muscles that never tired, that never faltered, were the ones in her face. After the hell Sibyll had just put her through to prove herself, Blake couldn't wipe the smile off her face. It was a slight curve of the lips, cheeks sorely set in place but she smiled.

* * *

Yang remained outside, resolving herself to stand by the gates all night if she had to until Blake returned. Even if it had gotten colder and the brawler had to rely on her anger to keep her warm, she would be there to greet her partner. A gentle breeze passed, yet for all of the fury that promised to "protect" her, she shivered. She would admit that it was the cold air of the much too early morning, but she knew it was more than that. Yang had braved colder mornings alone six months after Summer's death and nothing could compare to the chill she felt that winter. But now, even after she had learned as much as she could from _him_ …

Another shiver crept up her back.

Sensible people would have commented that her attire was unsuitable, and she would have agreed. She heard the door the workshop open and close, footsteps working their way up to her. Yang grimaced at the thought of him keeping her company, even as he offered something warm to drink.

"Don't need it," she answered curtly.

"Even so, I wish for you to take it. The mornings are growing colder and you may change your mind," Sibyll answered.

He offered a small thermos of coffee which went unnoticed as Yang continued her vigilant watch. Rather than push it further, he retracted and joined in her watch of the forest. The skies were dark, but the horizon began to light with the hints of dawn. Sibyll's eyes scanned the tree line, expecting (or hoping) for the girl to arrive so that this tension could be broken. But doing so would only prolong a very necessary confrontation between them.

" _Rather now than later_ ," the young hunter conceded. "Yang."

"We're not close enough to be on a first name basis," she remarked bitterly.

Of course…

"I know that you do not think very kindly of me."

"Heh, that's putting it lightly..."

" _And_ it is reasonable that you would still be furious with me. But I want you to know that I understand—"

"Do you?" she challenged, turning to him. Her hair did not glow in its usual bout of rage nor did her eyes shift to the color he had grown used to seeing whenever she looked at him. Instead, she was confronting him as _herself_ , unbidden by the usual vehemence she could have for someone like him.

"Because I don't think you can _ever_ know what I feel about all of this. Especially if you **don't** know what your actions means to the rest of us, you try justify yourself through your excuses."

She had crossed her arms as a means of intimidation as well was self-restraint. There would be no purpose to be violent now after their "friendly" conversation, and would only set them farther back from where they started. Everything they learned about him would have made her uncle's own stories just shy of a being forgiving. The things Qrow had to do in order to protect those within the wall were at least excusable for the man lived in deep regret, even if it was never shown. It was the reason why Yang encouraged Ruby to talk to him about her nightmares, her guilt, for he was the only one who could have understood her. Both never wanted to take the lives they did, but had to forgive themselves as a necessary act.

Sibyll couldn't have been more opposite from their grief.

Instead, he confessed to having "dealt" with the sick as he would any beast. Even if he had done so under the pretense of pity, she refused to believe that no one was searching for a cure or a method. All that time spent hunting both people and animals alike as if they were rabid dogs meant to be put down. Someone, _anyone_ , had to be trying to stop it.

Yet he confirmed that no one had. Rather, people there had gone so far as to study its effects with the hopes of scavenging anything valuable of their test subjects. To be killed or be studied upon were the only options left to the afflicted and it only made her sick. Weiss had done well to mask her disgust of the information, but Ruby had taken the full brunt of it badly. Her sister couldn't even look at him, even when they had exhausted all of their questions about his role, his world, and his "work". Even when he had been affected by the young girl the most, Sibyll had not made any effort to defend or justify his actions other than "he must."

And Yang couldn't help but hate that about him; reminding her of the values of those who bear to shame of what they do.

Sibyll may be some distorted version of a Huntsman from some other world.

Sibyll may be here to help them stop not only the one who infiltrated the CCT, but the White Fang and whatever oncoming plague as well.

Sibyll may claim to be their ally, but Yang refused to believe he's anything good for them. Not with the way he is…

"Do you know how much Ruby suffered during that month we thought you were dead? She must've told you about the nightmares."

"She did…"

"Then you know why I don't want you around her any more than you have to be. You've hurt her in a way where that pain still lingers. You put **my** sister in a place where she's haunted by the nightmares **you** left her with!"

Her hands shot forth, grabbing the young hunter his shirt and pulled him forward.

"When we lost our mother, we lost our dad for a time too... You don't know what it was like to have two people break down on you. Ruby would have nightmares like the ones she suffers from now, but what could I say to someone so young and blamed herself? And dad?"

Her grip on his shirt tightened.

"He couldn't even _recognize_ me. Even after I begged and pleaded, he would just sit there and do nothing, leaving us, his kids, to hurt on our own. I had to take care of Ruby, even when it felt like I was the one who hurt the most. I made sure to watch after her because Summer trusted that I would. I spent years looking after my sister because _I'm_ the one who's supposed to protect her, and you hurt her…"

Yang loosened her hold, and pushed him roughly away from her. Sibyll regained his footed, but made no move to approach her.

"And you know what the **worst** part about all of this is?" she asked him. "I'm more _afraid of you_ than I am furious with you…"

Hands balled into fists, trembling, as her gaze met with his. Lilac eyes hardened with determination to stand her ground, but he could see the doubt and fear welling up behind them. They threatened to harm him, threatened an amount of pain he could never doubt, but there was a threat of a familiar resignation. A feeling he remembered well enough when he questioned the futility of his work. Why keep going if the beast and afflicted continued to grow? What would be the point of fighting a losing battle? Why not give up instead?

"My uncle Qrow is one of the strongest people I know… Hell, he's the only one I know who can beat my dad into submission _while_ drunk and that says something. He was also the one who helped me pull everyone back together when I felt like I wasn't succeeding. He saved mine and Ruby's life when I messed up and _he_ reminded me of the promise I made to Summer. And then you come along and nearly _**kill**_ him."

Yang pointed at the young hunter accusingly.

"You, who should've been dead the moment Qrow got serious, almost killed him. And when I saw my uncle being wheeled out for intensive care, when I had seen what you've done… I remembered what it was like losing Summer again… I remembered the helpless feeling, and the fear of losing more people I loved."

The brawler began counting off fingers on her hand.

"My uncle, my sister, and my partner," she concluded. "And **you** are telling _me_ that you understand what I'm feeling? Because what I see is a **monster** willing to do anything to finish some arbitrary mission; a **thing** that hurt three people very close to me. So don't tell me that you understand me or that you know what it's like to lose people close to you. The sooner this is over, the sooner Raven and I can deal with you."

She moved away from him, pulling on the metal gates and closing them behind her as she resolved to lean against the stone column in wait for her partner. Sibyll stood there unsure of what to make of her declaration, but he knew the conversation couldn't be allowed to drop. She was angry and afraid of what she didn't know, like the rest he encountered, but Yang was just as important as Blake by extension. He never thought to monopolize the young girl's time nor did he want that notion to create a sense of doubt within the team. But if they were to work together, even briefly, he too would have his say. It was the sole reason why he had invited them to his (preferably) private home and workplace.

Sibyll moved to the gate, but never crossed it. The barrier between them would be enough to provide a small sense of security for her.

"She still cries at night," he finally spoke after some silence.

"While she is sweet and considerate, Chisa still mourns the loss of her father and it shows. I can see the longing whenever we pass by another family in the city, or when Jaune and Pyrrha share a few stories of their own. And she does her best to hide it, even when she trusts that I'll provide a comfort."

He uncapped the thermos and took a drink of the warm brew.

"I had gone so far to tell her that I could never replace him when I first took her in. Not out of inadequacy or to keep her from being too attached, but because I knew I could never return what was taken from her. She is afraid that the monsters at her home would come back for her, afraid of the beasts that are too brazen to keep away from our home… and afraid of me."

Sibyll knew there was a hint of hesitancy from the young girl; a fear rooted in her mind from the night her and her people fled their homes. There was a lingering doubt as to _what_ he did to "fix" the problem or _what_ exactly happened that night. It was a fear shared between them; her of him, and him of her; afraid of what the innocence of a child would force him to admit.

"Even if you do not believe that I could ever understand your sorrows, I _do_. I would like to say it would be from empathy, but the truths is much more morbid than that… For when I had first began my role as a Hunter, I enjoyed it."

The young hunter could feel her tense up.

"It gave me a feeling of empowerment, that exhilaration of the chase coursing through my entire being. I could run and fill my lungs with air I once struggled to breathe, strike with a strength so foreign to me, and live a life that was not bound to a sickbed."

Out of all the things to remember from his passed life, his crippling sickness was the only thing Sibyll was confident had been true.

"For a foolish moment, I felt _alive_. It was only when I suffered my first bout of madness did I realize that the path I have chosen is wholly undesirable. The memories of the fallen fill my mind with _their_ pain, and over time I took them to be my own. Even now, her father's memories linger and I can see what he saw in his daughter: pride, joy, and sorrow. I can feel longing and the want to protect her in memory of his wife. And he too is dead because of me."

A brief moment of silence.

"I lived vicariously through many lifetimes, and I can feel **all** of their memories; especially your uncle's."

Sibyll glanced over at Yang, still refusing to acknowledge and meet his eyes.

"He loved her just as much as your father did."

The young hunter could hear her breath hitch slightly.

"It may not be my place to say, but he suffered just as much as you three did. He may have appeared to be strong in light of her death, perhaps for your sake, but he too was not exempt from losing the only woman he loved."

Yang spun around to face him, eyes set in a hurt but challenging expression.

"I am telling you this because I _**am**_ sorry for what I have done. When those memories of that woman and how he cherished her, her family, her children continued to linger… I knew I had made a grave mistake in losing control over myself; one that had caused a great deal of pain for many."

Sibyll returned his expression to the tree line as his Messengers appeared before him, climbing up to their favorite perches. His apprentice should arrive any moment now, but the oncoming morning was coming too close.

"There could have been many ways to go about my approach to the threat of your world, and possibly out us in better alternatives. But I have seen the results when forbidden knowledge becomes widespread, and of those who wish to profit from it. I cannot apologize for the losses I leave behind because it is the only path set before me, and I too am afraid... I am afraid because I have done much worse to end the Hunt before, and I question how far I am willing to go to again. So even if you cannot stand or tolerate me… I can only hope that you can place them aside for now. I promise that when all of this is close to ending… you and Raven can do with me what you wish."

A figure began to emerge from the darkness of the forest, her limping gait making slow progress on her return.

"As long as I remain, the threat shall continue to thrive. And I am confident that you will protect your own partner from becoming a similar catalyst."

He watched Yang run off to meet the tired but successful Hunter, feeling somewhat content that he made his stance clear. The brawler had not been kind in barreling into the girl, taking her into her arms and holding onto her tightly enough where he could hear her protests. Indistinct voices traded back and forth between them as the brawler helped Blake, acting as a crutch. Closing the thermos, Sibyll stood straighter and opened the gates for their return.

Blake, for lack of a better term, looked absolutely horrid with the tears and rips adorning her attire. Even when the blood had gone, he could still the scent on her. He even noted how she began to favor one side as she limped, and her amber eyes met his when they were close enough.

"Hmm," he began, "I was beginning to think you would not show. Was it too _difficult_ for you?"

It was a small joke that would no doubt anger her, but meant to hint at what would come. She frowned at him, eyes narrowing as she reached up to her collar and brought forth the five badges. Sibyll gave an impressed nod, knowing full well he had been entirely unfair towards her.

"I am glad to see you enjoyed your stroll into the forest," he half-joked.

"About that…"

Blake removed herself from Yang and approached the young hunter, the palm of her hand striking against his face. She noticed how he made no effort to move, and hated that he anticipated that of her.

"What sort of person puts one of these," she points to the badges, "on the head of damned Taijitu? Are you insane?!"

"You had my full confidence," he answered unapologetically.

"Oh I'm _sure_ you did, what with how you set the odds to stack against me."

"The work of any Hunter is faced with insurmountable odds, and only those who can best them can survive. Speaking of which, were you able to deal with all of the beasts?"

He could see his apprentice hesitate, finding anything but him more interesting to look at.

"The Taijitu was the only one I left behind. I don't need to explain why, other than I knew what my chances were and decided I valued my life more."

"Hmm… fair point. Hunters do not always succeed in their hunts, but only the foolish are brazen enough to take on great beasts at your level."

And before either Blake or Yang could protest, Sibyll reached out and placed his hand gently atop her head; rustling her raven locks in a manner of praise. It would be a gesture he would give Chisa for her successful hard work, assuring the young girl of his pride in her. The same could be said for Blake who, despite grimacing slightly at the overly familiar touch, smiled. It was a grin Sibyll hadn't seen in all of their training and discussions, and he found himself returning a smaller, much more subtle smile in return.

"Good work Blake. I am admittedly impressed," the young hunter spoke.

"Pull something like that on me again and you'll wish you hadn't."

"Your warning is duly noted young miss."

The moment was short lived as Yang pushed away his hand, glaring at him in warning, he willingly backed off. Blake struggled more to remain standing but she winced as the memories began to swim before her eyes.

"What's wrong?" the brawler asked, carefully to not cause her partner any further distress by mishandling her.

"My head still hurts… Too many memories that aren't mine…"

"Let us bring you inside quickly. We have one final thing to attend to."

Sibyll led the way back inside, moving to where the trapdoor was hidden beneath a rug. Folding the fabric aside, he lifted the heavy wooden panel and motioned for the two girls to step below. Yang was hesitant; the notion of going into someone's basement screamed various dangers, but Blake gave her a reassuring nod. They descended slowly with the injured girl trying her best to not wince or whimper with each step. She could feel her partner's hold on her tighten with worry until they touched down upon solid ground. The trapdoor closed behind them as Sibyll made his way around them toward the center of the basement.

"Here would be fine," he motioned to the out of place object.

When they were close enough, he reached for something in his bag and pulled out the object in question which left both girls unsettled. Sibyll gingerly placed the worn and cracked skull into Blake's free hand with his own over it. A swift push inward broke the skull apart, dissolving into dust as they wafted upward, swirled, and gathered around Blake's head in a brief burst of light. Blake couldn't hear her partner's worried words as her mind was filled with a great expanse of void and voices: indiscernible but many, and then a sequence of bright astral lights. Lights that she had seen in books about astronomy her father had once read to her.

And then nothing…

Her vision returned to the room and still reeling from the experience. Sibyll's eyes drifted between the two girls before raising a hand over the lantern.

"We will not be long, but please make yourself at home. If you wish to stay and recuperate, I am sure your headmaster would understand and excuse all four of your absences."

And with that Sibyll vanished.

Yang saw first hand how the young hunter became transparent, engulfed in a wave of fog and light before ceasing to exist. She wouldn't have believed it were it not for her previous recalling of the security video. Blake made to follow before the brawler held her back. There was a concern she couldn't voice, the words lost on her, but her partner knew. Slender arms wrapped around Yang, and she could feel the reassurance transmitting through.

"I'll be back. I promise."

Even if she wanted to stop her, Yang could only watch as the same light and fog consumer her partner, leaving her behind in the darkened basement.

* * *

Blake awoke on the grassy field where she and Sibyll would train. Her body, no longer feeling the pangs of hurt and soreness, stretched as far could be allowed. There was a hum of satisfaction in hearing and feeling her joints pop and crack; almost synonymous to waking from a nap. She helped herself off the ground and began to make her way around to the Workshop, footsteps sounding more confident against the cobblestone path.

As she turned around the bend, she could hear and see Sibyll speak to the sleeping Doll. She would always hear him do so, but never wanted to bring the… unusual habit she would sometimes catch him doing. What she didn't anticipate was another voice joining his.

" _Has the time come?"_

"It has and she will be in need of your service."

" _Of course good Hunter."_

"Who are you talking to?" Blake asked. She had stopped just before the Doll that had been propped up to sit small outcrop.

"The most important person of our work," Sibyl answered.

He motioned over to the still object, and her eyes scanned it as thoroughly as she could. She wanted to argue against him, but she saw how the Doll lifted its head, eyes slowly opening to look at her. Marionette like hands moved to push itself off the outcrop, and its feet found balance on the ground. It looked at Blake curiously, her face void of any emotion (not that Blake believe any emotion could be formed on a Doll-like face).

" _Hello good Hunter,"_ the Doll finally spoke, lips unmoving.

" _I am a doll, here in this dream to look after you. Honorable hunter, pursue the echoes of blood, and I will channel them into your strength. You will hunt beasts…and I will be here for you, to embolden your sickly spirit."_

The Doll bowed deeply in front of Blake in a manner similar to Sibyll's. When she looked toward the young hunter in disbelief, she found him unmoved or changed by her surprised. Amber eyes returned to the very thing that had been immobile in both this place and in "the waking world" as Sibyll would describe it. But to find it alive now? And acting human?

"What is it?" she couldn't help but ask.

" _She_ is a denizen of the Hunter's Dream for as long as my mentor watched over it," he explained. "There is much about her that I myself do no know, but she provides the means to help all contracted Hunter grow. She is the only thing that helps us ease the sorrows and pain within our minds, and turns those memories into our strengths."

With a gentle push, the young hunter urged her on.

"Go ahead, she will tend to you."

Unsure of what to make of the thing before her, Blake approached the Doll cautiously. The Doll extended her hands forward, as if expecting something to be given, and received the young girl's hands into her own.

" _What is your desire, good Hunter?"_

What _did_ she want? Blake had not considered how the result of the training would lead to this, or what this process would entail. Perhaps she could be stronger? Improve her physical strength to strike harder than she did now. Yet feats of strength weren't a thing she often thought about as both Adam and Sibyll trained her to improve. She was strong enough for her attacks to be lethal but even she had trouble meeting certain attacks head on. She could always ask to improve what she was already good at? Or maybe—

"I'm sorry, this is all just hard to believe," Blake finally admitted. " _ **How**_ is this going to help me?"

" _The echoes cause you pain, yes?"_

"They do, but I don't know what those… memories are supposed to do for me."

"Think carefully on them," Sibyll added. "From what you experienced from your first Hunt, what is it about it you wish you could have changed? What do you feel would help you make hunting easier?"

Blake struggled to hold back the longing for her aura and semblance. It would have made that trail more manageable had she been able to disorient the Grimm, and striking in the prime moment. Misdirection had been a skill she was proud of honing, leaving behind a clone or afterimage in her wake to take the lethal hits. It was a moment so practiced, so fluid in its execution, that it was more than second nature to her. And it was gone… She had been reminded over and over that depending on that missing piece would cost her greatly. Knowing there was no hope to returning to such a feeling…

" _Ah, I see…"_ the Doll tenderly noted.

She helped the young girl kneel before her, and began her work of transmitting the latent echoes and memories. Blake felt the voices begin to fade, the pain of foreign memories being siphoned away into a void she did not know. It was a soothing emptiness, taking off some weight she c didn't know she held, and it reminded her of dreamless sleep. There was nothing… save for the glowing warmth settling in her mind. Her sight was filled with a familiar memory, one of disappearing before her enemies. She remembered the hours spent honing her craft, practicing the art over and over with the object in hand. All of those theories and refined methods had been built toward this moment. The effect would be brief, but it would serve itself greatly enough after studying the remains of such a fine Hunter.

The memory faded and Blake no longer felt her mind caught in conflict. She felt the hands of the Doll help her to her feet, swaying lightly before feeling Sibyll's hand steady her.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

It was a question that would go unanswered as her was placed out expectantly. The young hunter regarded it for a moment hesitantly; was it recompense for her success? Her eyes met his and he could see that expression of longing and determination, and then he knew.

Reaching into his coat, he pulled out the Old Hunter's Bone and surrendered it to the girl. He could feel glove wrapped fingers graze his palm as she took the object, and gestured for him to "donate" some bullets as well. With everything in hand, Blake stepped away from them to the more open space in front of the Workshop. She could feel the power emanating from the bone; a power she had not felt since its first introduction. She crushed alongside the quicksilver and fire shot through her arm; coursing throughout her body before settling over her heart.

Sibyll watched on with amusement as Blake disappeared in a cloud of smoke, only to reappear some distance away.

Here.

There.

Here again.

There again.

All over.

He watched how her body went through the motions of striking and evading, using the cover of the smoke to mask her progressive movement.

" _Are all Hunters that pleased?"_ the Doll asked beside him.

"No. Never like that," Sibyll answered, watching Blake perform an evasive backflip into her last disappearance.

She reappeared once again, her feet staggering beneath her as her body threatened to fall. He had been quick enough to catch her, his arms supporting hers as she began to breathe heavily. Sibyll wouldn't comment on the small glint of hurt hidden behind her eyes, choosing instead to focus on the smile that graced her lips as she looked up to him. How such a quaint expression, pearly whites parting with tired laughter, could ease such burdens they were meant to bear. So much so, that he had given her one in earnest; an honest grin that he felt he rarely shared. He had helped her back to her feet once more, his hands staying in hers in case she needed stable support.

"How did it look?" the young girl asked between breaths.

"Hmm… Your form could use more work. You are compensating for the initial side effects of being disoriented through movement, leaving you to second guess your direction as you move about. Furthermore—"

Sibyll felt a sharp elbow nudge his side, and decided it best to preserve the moment.

* * *

"And that concludes the matches for today. Please leave the Coliseum in a CALM AND ORDERLY FASHION," Oobleck's voice sounded through the surrounding speakers.

Even as everyone around him began to leave, Sibyll couldn't help but be completely impressed with this Vytal Festival. It wasn't unlike the many workshops that often competed through their hunts of the beasts, or how they settled disputes with fights to the death. The days he and Chisa spent watching the preliminary battles leading up to the team battles left them in high regard. If he was brave enough to admit it, he would have confessed to being envious of these skilled youth who no doubt carried a great power.

All of those different styles, varying weapons, and impressive semblances would be a mere, fever-induced fantasy to those back in Yharnam.

Sibyll placed another kernel of "popped corn" into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully as he reflected on the match between Team SSSN and NDGO. A particular young man, Scarlet David, caught his eye as he fought with weapons similar to his own; a blade in the right hand and a firearm in the other. There wasn't enough to confirm if this Scarlet fought the same as well like Raven suggested, but he doubted it. The young hunter only wished to see the man's full potential as he was second to be eliminated from the battle Still, they were able to secure a victory which would push them further into this _wonderful_ tournament.

And then there was NDGO who captivated a majority of his attention. Out of all the teams that have participated, the young hunter couldn't help but keep an eye out for them specifically. Perhaps it was due to their unique fighting styles that secured a fair foothold in all ranges of combat. The use of their environment and the elements provided a perfect obstruction to attack from close to mid-range, a feat he deeply appreciated.

Or perhaps… the young hunter was just as smitten as the rest of the crowd by the team's inherent beauty. Had anyone from his current company noticed closely, they would have seen orange eyes watching following the Nebula Violette particularly as she was being tended to my medical personnel.

He would never say.

"They did it Sibyll! Mister Sun and his team made it!" Chisa chirped excitedly beside him, waving a SSSN pennant eagerly.

"They certainly have," he answered. Sibyll caught on to Sun's enthusiasm, following the pointed fingers aimed at the newly entitled Hunter sitting a few seats away. He smirked as Blake's cheeks alighted with tinges of pink, chuckling all the while. Beneath all the sour and indifferent looks, she can make that expression as well?

" _So much for composure,"_ he thought to himself as he scanned the rest of the stadium.

"Do you think they'll let us see Mister Jaune and his team now?"

"Mhmm! We can visit them at their waiting rooms and hey, we might even meet a few of the other teams on the way," Yang answered. "Wanna come along?"

Chisa nodded and looked to the young hunter for the okay. He had raised a hand to his chin, rubbing thoughtfully under the false impression of considering her request. The young girl knew he would allow her, but she had to endure the impatience of her youth while he appreciated the small signs of her growing irritation. A brief nod later and Chisa bounded off after Yang, mindful to hold the older girl's hand. She had turned to wave Sibyll of and he waved back, careful to note how the brawler had chosen to ignore him in favor of the girl. He knew it would take some time for her to come around (or not at all), and to believe she would is simply foolish on his part.

He stood from his seat, taking with him the remains of his treat as he saw Ruby chase after her quickly departing partner.

"Are you going to be okay on your own?" Blake had asked, stretching out her body after the day's set of rounds.

"Of course, though I believe it is time I meet with your headmaster. The time for work has come and I will be needed elsewhere."

"Ah, I see."

Blake turned to look to see her partner and Chisa set off, disappearing among the departing crowd before turning to Sibyll.

"Yang's still ignoring you huh?" she noted.

"I would say that _everyone_ is keeping a safe distance away, but your words certainly lessen the blow. Still, that is more preferable than open antagonism."

"She'll…come around?" Though disbelieving her own words, Blake tried her best to sympathize. If she was still able to do so as his memories continued to persist within her own. She would have thought the Doll would have taken them away as well, but still…

"I should not expect her to. Our discussion brought forth many…unpleasantries. They know what they must know and should expect to be on guard. With that, I have fulfilled my duty to 'be nice' as Chisa would phrase."

"Sibyll," Blake's hand caught his shoulder before he could leave.

"It is fine. Your partner may not accept what we—what I am, and that is something we have to come to terms with. She may humor my presence for the little one's sake, but I only hope she will work with me albeit begrudgingly. 'The enemy of my enemy' and things as such."

He carefully removed her hand and began to set off.

"And I am sure Mister Wukong would prove to better company than I, would you say?"

The young hunter allowed himself to be swept away with the crowd, earning a few puzzled looks on his path to the airships. There weren't many moments to relax or move at one's own pace in Yharnam. The Hunt often demands for quick work and he had never known a moment to rest then. Now, he could take a moment to appreciate what he never thought he would see again. The season was becoming colder, signs of an oncoming winter. From the windows of the ship, he could see a smattering of trees begin to change their colors within the Emerald Forest. He would have to prepare logs upon his return and perhaps purchase a few Fire dust crystals to keep the workshop warm. Did Remnant celebrate any particular holidays with the turning of the seasons? There was still much to learn about their customs and he would ask Chisa upon her return.

Sibyll could hear the conversations of the other passengers, excited exchanges about the tournament, but focused more on the academy they were slowly approaching. Ozpin had summoned him through his scroll though it contraption looked nothing of the sort. His hand reached into his pocket and pulled out the item of interest, still unsure of its use or the machina behind it. The little one proved to be helpful on that front, able to navigate this fragile thing and pressing various pictures and words to make it work. He opened the scroll to look at the photo acting as a "wallpaper" of sorts.

Chisa, dressed in her apron (dirtied by flour), had asked for their first photo together. He, with his vest and rolled up sleeves (equally "floured"), had conceded and was surprised by how prompt such a picture could be made. It wasn't a very flattering photo… His eyes wide with surprise while she smiled earnestly in a toothy grin.

"We will now be docking onto Beacon Academy. Please watch your step and keep aware of your belongings," the automated voice spoke.

The ship jostled slightly as it touched down upon the tarmac and the young hunter moved to exit with the crowd, pocketing the scroll as well. A passing chill forced him to pull on his coat tighter as he began to make his way toward the tower. His eyes roamed about, taking in the sunset and could feel a strange longing as took in the autumn air.

" _It's our favorite season,"_ a voice murmured at the back of his mind; a familiar voice from the void.

Was it?

It was a question that caused him to pause, looking skyward for a possible answer. None was found as a crow cawed midflight and took off. With so many unanswered questions, it only created more unnecessary doubts for the young hunter. Snippets of memories leading up to his change and the Hunt were all that was left to him. Was it a result of his unorthodox exit from the Dream? Or was he like Blake, and paid the price with his former life? A permanent loss that he would have to shoulder even after the Contract is fulfilled? Would he accept that?

"Alright then. Come take it."

Sibyll turned his head to search for the familiar voice. He knew that Qrow had returned after securing the location of the White Fang base, and that he would have to form a parlay with Adam. Hopefully they could form an understanding towards stopping the introduction of the blood while it was still possible. His eyes scanned the area, finding a crowd forming around a large open space where the sounds of steel clashed against one another. His feet carried with hurried anticipation with the hopes of stopping any altercation as peacefully as possible. Qrow had left a rather poor impression on the young hunter, and he did not expect for the man to act aggressively with anyone else; pushing through the crowd spoke otherwise.

The man had brandished his great sword, sporting a taunting grin and a mocked stance, against a familiar looking woman. She dressed regally, her uniform impeccable and carrying with it a sense of purpose and propriety. The woman for her part remained unfazed by the display, her icy blue eyes assessing for any openings and an opportunity to counter. Her posture was perfect in form, lacking any hesitancy or uncertainty over her skill. And Qrow himself looked to be in a sort of daze, a stupor caused by soporifics if Sibyll guessed the scent right. Alcohol at such a time?

And for them to fight publicly with the on looking crowd? The casualties that could be had and the risk of such a bout would surely place others at risk; damages and injuries that could be mitigated through diplomacy. Yet the two before him, Hunters who had the respect of the public displayed none of those qualities. It was foolish to clash now of all places and the young hunter hoped to stop them before such stakes were escalated.

"Hurry little ones," he urged his Messengers. Qrow and the woman began testing each other's defenses, the tips of the blades tapping tentatively. If he wished to stop them, he would have to do so now. Sibyll ran forth, feeling the familiar grip of a weapon form in his right hand, and separated the blades into two.

He could feel the daggers straining in his grip as he tried to push back against both blades. The woman's thinner blade was manageable at best, but Qrow was beginning to weigh in on his form.

"Please reconsider this," Sibyll spoke. He tried to push back against both blades, neither Hunters refused to relent. His grip tightened on the Blades of Mercy. Curse him for not considering the merits of improving his physical strength for moments like these…

"An accomplice of yours?" the woman asked the older hunter.

"Nope. Not _this_ guy."

Sibyll could feel the Qrow's blade bear on him harder and he struggled to push back.

"Uncle Qrow! Don't!"

"Winter!"

Just as quickly as those words came, the weight against the blades disappeared as Ruby and Weiss intervened with their respective elder. Both girls were mindful to act as a barrier between Sibyll and the hunters, allowing him to collapse the blades together and stow the weapon away.

"Please don't fight!" Ruby pleaded. "We all talked and he's on our side now! Sort've…"

"You've been 'talking' to him?" Qrow faced the young hunter, his face marred with thinly veiled rage. "I thought I warned you to keep away from her."

"Please stop!" the young reaper cried as she tried to push back her uncle. "Raven was there when we all talked to him! We were able to sort out terms on our own, so we're at least on the same side! So please don't do anything to Sibyll!"

"She's unfortunately right Winter. He's an associate that we have to work with…" Weiss explained to the older woman.

"Sibyll? _**This**_ is the man the General had warned me about? And you are associating yourself with such dangerous men? Explain yourself Weiss."

"Same goes for you Ruby."

Both girls cowered beneath unrelenting stares, trying to find an acceptable explanation for their connection to the young hunter. Unlike Qrow, who had doubted Raven would allow such a thing, Winter had no reason to trust someone she had been briefed on. The General's reports were very thorough in describing the young hunter's capabilities and the thought of such a man around her sister were infuriating. How Ozpin or any of the staff could allow this was beyond her reasoning, but was reason enough to take Weiss home herself.

"Perhaps we can all discuss this with the headmaster in his office and **not** in public," Sibyll suggested carefully. The stares from the crowd were beginning to devolve into whispers. He had been able to circumvent an unnecessary fight, yet caught in a more undesirable situation.

"I promise I mean no harm," Sibyll added. He had raised his hands in surrender, a gesture he didn't believe he would have more practice with than most.

"Yeah, I'm sure you didn't mean to give me this too huh?" Qrow pulled on the collar of his shirt, revealing a large, circular scar near his right shoulder.

"I was not in the best mind when that happened," Sibyll answered, but Qrow's scowl only deepened. "I feel terrible about it?"

"Could you sound any _less_ sincere?" Weiss asked over her shoulder why she maintained her spot in front of Winter.

"I _am_ trying."

"Well try **harder** before they got the wrong idea about you."

"That is why I am trying to divert this confrontation elsewhere. With Ozpin present, he could hopefully entrust his confidence to them and by extension me."

"Quit muttering among yourselves and answer us. What exactly is nature of your cooperation," Winter demanded.

"He's… helping us help our friend," Ruby explained. "She hasn't been the same since our last mission and he's the only one who can help her. It hasn't been easy and things slowly getting better for her and for us."

Ruby placed her hands over Qrow's weapon, slowly pointing it away from the young hunter.

"You, Raven, and Yang are in the same boat when it comes to him, but he's been good so far. Nothing bad has happened when we stay over while he and Blake train."

"You 'stay over' over at his place?" Qrow questioned, raising a skeptical eyebrow at the detail.

"Sometimes… It's so we can better understand things from his perspective? We've seen how he and Blake fight when we ask and he's been sharing important stuff about himself and his…work. But he's been good to us, and even kinder when he let's us stay the night."

The young reaper looked into her uncle's eyes, pleading for him to reconsider. Qrow was never known to have many weaknesses as his work often placed him in compromising positions. It would be risky if anyone could have such an advantage which left the man having very little to value. His nieces, though, were people he'd travel the Grimmlands for. Every mission Ozpin had sent him on was for their sake and they were the reason he'd brave the long journey home. Those girls were _hers_ and he'd see to it that they had the future she saw in them.

Especially Ruby; that sweet and naïve niece of his. Yang had a better sense of how the world worked but Ruby's infectious idealism would bring a bit of a smile every now and then. Even when he had been tougher on her under his mentoring, those eyes never wavered.

Just like her mother's…

"He's even nice enough to let me and Weiss share his bed."

Huh.

"He did WHAT?" Winter's voice cut through the silence.

But Qrow had ignored the outburst and reached out the young reaper, giving the girl a reassuring squeeze on her shoulder before moving her completely aside. The man ignored all else except for the young hunter before him, eyes glowing dangerously bright as Sibyll brought up his blades in self defense.

"Ruby! Why did you have to go and phrase it like that!?" Weiss shouted as she too failed to hold back her older sister.

"Phrase it like what? I told him the truth!" she protested as she pulled uselessly on her uncle's cape.

"You DOLT! Think about what you say before saying it! I mean, who else do you share a bed with other than family?"

Ruby thought it over, unsure why her partner placed more emphasis on "family". She had shared her bed with Yang when the house had gotten cold. There were times where she would share her bed with her friends when she'd have sleepovers. Sibyll was (sorta) their friend and she considered their occasional stays like a sleepover. I mean, the only thing weird or wrong about sleeping in his bed would be—

"That's not what I mean Uncle!" she shouted after him, face covered in heated embarrassment. Yet Qrow made no acknowledgement of her words as he disappeared before her, and Ruby could hear the distinct sound of metal clashing. Her uncle's blade had made contact against Sibyll's, but the young hunter couldn't stop the full brunt of the attack and was thrown back with great speed.

His vision was swarmed with blurs as he tried to gather his bearings. He could see the mass of people growing smaller and smaller, until his body slammed against something hard and holding him in place. Sibyll tried to move but his body strained against the foreign force, his eyes looking about and finding himself trapped in an active glyph. He could hear other glyphs begin to form all around him, creating a sphere of sorts and struggled as best as he could as the first blow game. A metal hand guard struck him across the face, another across the abdomen, the arms, and the legs. His eyes caught a white blur dashing all around him, landing lightening like blows all over his defenseless body before it a thunderous one struck him squarely in the chest. The glyph binding him shattered and sent his body crashing against the stone walkways and through several of the shrubbery.

Winter touched down from her aerial barrage, shifting her weapon into a saber and parrying dagger separately. Qrow had forgone the great sword and brought forth the same scythe he had use in their fight so long ago. It would be time to repay the wounded pride and shoulder he received then, and had reason to do so ten-fold. They stood side by side, weapons at the ready as their eyes watched the bush carefully for movement.

"Are you sober enough to not get in my way?" she had asked him.

"Don't worry your head over it Ice Queen. Just don't hog him to yourself 'cause I've got a score to settle with him."

The bush began to rustle and both Hunters attacked in sync: Qrow firing several shotgun blasts while Winter sent a bombardment of ice crystals. The resulting effect left an explosive mist in its wake, but eh damage could be heard as the foundations of earth and stone crumbled. Crimson and glacial eyes scanned the scene cautiously, bringing their respective guard up when two shots fired from the mist. Qrow used the broad side of the his scythe while Winter summoned a barrier glyph before her; eyes noting the silvery substance plastered against the runic symbols. A wave of her saber had caste a smaller glyph to disperse the mist to find the young hunter still standing.

Sibyll stood with Evelyn aimed in his left hand while the right returned the Reiterpallasch back into its rapier form. His body was now adorned with protective metal armor; greaves and gauntlets protecting his limbs while his waist and shoulders were draped with cloth thin metals. His armor looked much to thin to provide any sturdy defense by how armor hung lightly against his body, but Qrow knew better than to assume. The only detail about this new appear that really the man off was the similarly red and torn cape that hung off the armor.

"May we start over? I do believe Miss Rose has caused a great misunderstand I wish to undo," Sibyll's voice echoed from within the metal helm. Qrow and Winter had prepared themselves for another onslaught of attacks.

"Of course…" the young hunter sighed.

* * *

 **A/N: Well Volume 3 happened.  
**

 **(Update 6/21/17)**

 **Announcement for _The Longest Hunt:_**

I believe I should clarify why reason why I decided to not use Salem or the Maidens in this fanfiction. I wrote it before that I disagreed with how the Maiden's power functioned as being "too powerful." Some aspects are still true, but a few of your comments did point out that everyone in RWBY has a semblance that would be considered just as overly advantageous as well. Everyone can sweep the floor with Sibyll if they tried. So why omit it? I wanted to show a contrast between those who have the privilege of showing mercy, and those who "mercy" is seen as cruelly pragmatic. I also wanted to introduce a larger and more powerful presence that isn't intrinsic to the world of Remnant. By the end of Volume 3 and 4 now, we're seeing an expanding world and Grimmoire (pun intended) that can be played with. I wanted to bend certain elements to allow for more Bloodborne elements to be up to par with the RWBY cast.

Huntsmen and Hunters are different breeds of heroes with similar traits, and I wanted to see what I can add into the mi without compromising both.

Additionally, I'm not making the Faunus' susceptibility as equivalent to some "zombie" virus. Humans are just as at risk of being afflicted, but due to future story elements nothing further can be explained.


	17. Drawing First Blood

**A/N: We're _finally_ here!**

 **It's certainly been some time since the last update, and I apologize for that. The spring break and quarter has kept me very busy, and I haven't had time to write as much as I like. When you have an academic reading load that exceeds 600 pages the first week, well... You can imagine what I'm saddled with for the rest of the quarter.**

 **Which brings me to address the release dates of the next several chapters for _The Longest Hunt_ and _Chisa's Side Stories_. At best, the next ones will probably come around late May or early June _at best_. My current study and work load is taking a lot of my time as is and balancing college, work, and writing is a bit difficult to maintain.**

 **This does NOT mean I'm abandoning the story or that I have given up. It's going to take some time for the next updates for come around as far as my priorities are concerned. I do have notes for Chapter 17 still being written down when I can and I apologize for those who are eager to read the next installment. I'll try to write as much as I can when I can, but cannot commit to a steady release date as of now.**

 **In any case, I would like to thank you all for the support and messages I've received over the past months. To the few I haven't answered back yet I will try to do so as soon as I can.**

 **Special shout out to Ahardie for writing _"The Cleansing of Addersfield"_. It's a great read for a fanfic of a fanfic (I'm honestly humbled) from the perspective of a small, afflicted Faunus child.**

 **For those who are interested in creating fan art, I wholly encourage you all to do so. If you need particular details about how a character looks (I promise to get back to you Nidles and Knightey), I'll try to provide them as best as I can.**

 **Thank you all for your continued support and I'll be sure to keep on writing when I can. As always, leave a review or message and I'll answer as promptly as I can.**

 **\- Naught**

* * *

"She certainly looks better," Sun noted about the brawler. Yang walked ahead with Chisa sitting on her shoulders, entertaining the young with a conversation neither he nor Blake could pick up over the crowd. The two teens had decided to take a slower pace among the others leaving the airship, the rest of their friends to go on without them.

"It's because _she's_ been spoiling Chisa in hopes of being more popular than Nora."

"Ah… and how is that going for her?"

The young girl's laughter caught their attention, and found Chisa waving foam fingers in both hands: a red one for Team RWBY and a pink one for team JNPR. It wasn't the only paraphernalia she had suddenly adorn: hats, scarves, and buttons battled for dominance for the young girl's favor. While Chisa took it all happily in stride (albeit unknowingly), the cold war between Nora and Yang continued relentlessly.

"They're in a tie?" Blake answered uncertainly. "I wouldn't think there _were_ any favorites, but if I had to guess… Weiss is certainly pulling ahead."

"Whoa, hold on… _the_ Ice Queen? I thought she would be the hardest one to get along with, seeing how she's all royalty and stuff."

"Try imagining her after a few drinks and exposed secrets. Turns her in a doting older sister like Yang, but much worse…"

"No. Way."

"She becomes clingy and possessive without any intent on sharing Chisa with the rest of us. From the last sleepover we had, I'm certain that Coco is still feeling jealous with how close they've gotten."

"Huh. I guess this means I have to find a way to get invited to your get togethers. Can't miss an opportunity like that again."

Blake simply rolled her eyes as Sun nudged her playfully with his shoulder. They continued to walk closely together, bits of conversation shared between them as they wandered the academy grounds. The faunus had been bold enough to offer her his arm, spurned on by the day's victory to hopefully press his chances. She had taken it, but not without giving him a playful glare; while he took it as a warning, she used it to cover the growing color of red upon her face. Still, they enjoyed the warmth of each other's company in the cooling evening.

Sun wouldn't deny how comfortable he felt with Blake holding on; the heat of her touch sent waves of sparks beneath his skin. What he couldn't put to words he conveyed through a smile, one that would undoubtedly stoke the fires of her flustered embarrassment. It didn't deter her from holding him closer, the warmth of his body enveloping her. Blake was only glad her partner had gone ahead with the rest of their friends, or she would continue to suffer the relentless teasing and comments at her expense.

"So about the book fair we missed," Sun began, "I was thinking of making it up another way."

"What did you have in mind?"

"You, me, and a date by the docks?"

The look she had given him was an unpleasant one, silently reminding him of their last visit to the docks. When Sun had remembered, he quickly shook his head in denial.

"Different docks this time with **no** White Fang or Torchwick. I just found a new sushi place in the nicer part of town and thought we could see what the up and up is. No vigilantism as a desert, I promise."

"Don't you still need to be watched by your team?"

"W-We could make it a double date with Neptune! Just so long as one of them is around is fine, and with him and Weiss… it'll be… fun?"

The uncertainty of his face betrayed the small sense of defeat in his words. Blake made a face of thoughtful consideration before answering, leaving the faunus to sigh in relief at her words.

"I'll see what Weiss thinks, but you two will have to be on your best behavior."

"Pfft! What's the worst Nep and I can do?"

Sounds of a heavy crash could be heard in the distance, and both teens turned their head at the source. Sun gave her a reluctant and unsure smile.

"I really hope you don't think that's some sort of bad sign for the date?"

"We can talk about underlying symbolism behind coincidental factors over dinner," Blake answered as she began to move toward the commotion. "For now, let's make sure no one's getting hurt."

The faunus followed after her, keeping an eye out for any additional threats as the crowd began to grow bigger around them. Their cries filled the air, urging them forward while the sounds of a battle grew louder and louder. Blake pulled out her scroll, finding a brief SOS message from Ruby and Weiss but nothing else. She had sent a similar message to the staff and Ozpin, and hoped that whatever threat was being suppressed by the rest of her team. They arrived to where the congregation was the thickest and began to push their way through, their fervor increasing and… of excitement?

"Isn't everyone supposed to scatter?" Sun asked.

Listening closely, Blake found that she was standing within a cheering crowd as the battle ahead of her continued to wage. It carried a similar energy from the stadium and she could make out the distinct voices of her teammate.

"Uncle Qrow! We didn't s-s-sleep with Sibyll or anything like that!"

"Wait… what!?" Sun spoke up from beside Blake.

They breached the edge of the crowd, and found Ruby and Weiss trapped within an active black glyph. The young reaper continued to try and pull her legs from the ground to no avail. The heiress, realizing such efforts were useless, stood angrily with crossed arms as she continued to shout.

"Winter, stop this right now! More people are watching and you're only making it worse! Release these glyphs now and **stop** being unreasonable!"

"You too uncle! He just lends us his room whenever he and Blake train in his basement while Yang watches."

A heavier explosion followed, telling of stone and pillars collapsing nearby. The crowd cheered loudly as Blake approached the duo, careful not to step into the glyph.

"STOP TALKING! YOU ARE **NOT** HELPING!" the heiress shrieked at her partner.

"What else am I supposed to do?! They're going to keep fighting if we don't do anything!"

"What's going on here?" Blake interrupted as quickly as they should. Ruby turned to the older girl, happy for support as she pointed toward the fight in front of them.

"Qrow and Weiss' older sister are fighting Sibyll and we have to stop them."

"They're fighting because **you** don't think about the things you say," the heiress clarified. "You gave them the wrong impression and now—"

Another explosion.

"Now, they won't even listen to us!"

Amber eyes followed to where Ruby had pointed, and could only see Sibyll (in armor?) fending off brief images of the young girl's uncle and an older looking Weiss. All around them were the destroyed rubble of former columns, provided a cover for Qrow whenever the young hunter found an opening to fire Evelyn in return. A missed shot was quickly followed by another heeled kick, knocking him off balance for a sliver of a second, and leaving him open as a volley of pellets shook his armored back. The metal held true, protecting him from further injury, but the force shook body violently; pushing him forward to Winter.

The rapier in Sibyll's hand twirled and flicked away the more precise strikes of the woman before he would roll away from another expended shell from a gun. Qrow had taken to preferring fire support, taking shots at the slightest hint of weakness while Winter set to work with her blades. Brief flashes of silver appeared all around Sibyll with sparks glinting off his body where the blades struck. It didn't distract the young hunter from breaking focus as he continued to parry and redirect the oncoming blows. His body never rested for long, keeping well out of Qrow's range when he could, but there was only so much he could do with the limited vision from his helm.

A misplaced step on an unseen floor glyph trapped his footing, and left Sibyll to fend for himself in his fixed position. Winter landed in front of him with a large glyph forming behind her; its patterns spun wildly in preparation. Qrow stood out from his cover behind him as his weapons shifted into a scythe, the gears clicking and whirring as they locked into place.

Ruby and Weiss were familiar with the stances both Hunstman and Huntress took, as years of exposure to their combat styles were ingrained within their memories. Both had been taught by their respective mentors and couldn't believe in any other scenario where any "normal" person would survive. If Sibyll were to "die" here in front of the growing crowd, they knew it would set off a chain of unnecessary paranoia with his "death" and "exit".

Yet at the core of their fears, they simply didn't to see a man be bisected by the very people they looked up to.

Their voices couldn't reach them as Qrow and Winter struck, moving at blinding speeds.

Not even Blake, who had run forth with Gambol Shroud in hand, could move fast enough to intercept the attack. She had cursed herself for leaving her quicksilver bullets back at the dorm. The Old Hunter's Bone jostled uselessly around her neck, tucked out of sight beneath her shirt. It was the one thing she need to meet the gap and stop the "horror" when she could.

None of it mattered as the raven haired girl flew back, caught securely in Sun's arms as the force of the sound reverberated through the open air.

It sounded like the roar of a beast coming from Sibyll; an unnatural, guttural sound that so familiar the Beowolves that the crowd became still. Winter had been thrown backwards, catching herself midair as she landed further away from the young hunter. Her eyes snapped up to him, widened in surprised at first before narrowing in suspicion. She had come across White Fang members intent on having her head several times before; opportunists believing they were able to intimidate her with similar displays. She would never succumb to such inane threats, but she couldn't argue the hesitation about pursuing the man before her.

The General had warned her of Sibyll, albeit vaguely. Still, she had to question the extent of his skills as the roar was hardly considered normal to come from a human.

Qrow was less fortunate, with his back smashing against the rubble and slumping over in dazed state.

The young hunter's snarl died down slowly, holstering Evelyn behind him, and reached up to remove the helm completely; fading and disappearing within a fog. Ashen hair clung to his face, exhaustion shown with each faded breath. Despite it all, his eyes burned dangerously when met with the older Schnee. He began to reach for something, prompting Winter to prepare herself when he produced a small, grey bottle within thin air.

"You are making this _**very**_ difficult for me," Sibyll spoke. She could hear the restraint in his, the growl caught in voice as he undid the top and drank its content deeply. A satisfied sigh followed when he discarded the bottle, smashing upon the cobbled path into nonexistence. His eyes closed for a brief moment, allowing for the elixir to take effect as a weight began to pool within him.

"I do not wish to participate in such triviality, but you are forcing my hand."

It would not long, but it should be enough to allow an opportunity for a counter offensive.

"If you cannot see reason…"

The ground beneath him began to crack, webbing out dangerously with added force from the gravitational glyph.

" _ **Then I shall answer you in kind.**_ "

Without placing the helm back on, he took Evelyn in hand once more and raised the Reiterpallasch toward the older Schnee. It was the only warning she would need as she prepared her blades for another attack. The man couldn't possibly move now, and Winter knew precisely where to strike in order to subdue the "heathen" that dare think about, let alone touch, her younger sister.

She propelled herself forward once more even as he stood still. Hands thrust forward, angling the blades to slip into the exposed parts of the armor until they were stopped completely. Sibyll made no pained reaction upon the attack even as his blood began to stain her weapon. Winter stared in disbelief, trying to push the blades deeper into his stomach with no success. She looked up time to the young hunter use his rapier to dislodge her weapons, throwing his left hand to her. Her aura resisted against the attack, but the force of the counter sent her back. Through squinted eyes, saw something slither back into the young hunter's hand; it expelled slug like creatures onto the floor that disappeared as well. The surprised was enough to break her concentration on the glyphs, releasing Sibyll, Ruby and Weiss.

The young reaper ran to her uncle, hoping to make sure his injuries weren't too severe. Weiss moved to intervene her sister, yet stopped when she saw the familiar designs of summon glyph. Winter would only resort to such a move in the direst of situations; a feat the heiress could not so easily boast. The sheer fact that her older sister decided now of all times spoke of the growing severity of the situation.

"No…"

Stepping forth from the blue light, a Beowolf conjured from ice moved to protect its master. The cautionary growl grew, each frosted breath waiting in anticipation for the order. Sibyll began to walk forward, each step cracking the stone beneath him that gradually lessened. He raised his left hand, a worn white glove appearing over the metal, and brought forth ethereal skulls. Six of them hovered above him in a crimson cloud, their voices forming into a collective moan that unsettled the crowd.

He hardened his gaze at the woman as he snapped his fingers.

The skulls flew quickly at the Beowolf, and both conjured beings were caught in their own skirmish; jaws snapped at the elusive phantoms, claws swiping into nothing as they swirled and danced about the beast to keep it distracted.

Sibyll ran to meet Winter head on, rapier at the ready, and they clashed once more. Every piercing stab was aimed similarly to disarm her. Every slash was met with a defensive parry as the older Schnee still retained the upper hand of two blades, but she underestimated his seemingly sparse arsenal. He stepped away from an overhead slash, the blade of his rapier slipping back to reveal the barrel of a gun. Bring it up just slightly, his finger pulled on the trigger alongside Evelyn, both aimed directly at her unguarded stomach. Winter's aura defended her against the surprise attack, and the close proximity quickly reduced her reserves. She could see him raise the rapier, glowing dangerously white, and she stabbed toward his hand; she hooked the blade into the hand guard, twirled it out of his hold, and away from him leaving him disarmed. The blade clattered towards Blake, coming to a stop at her feet as she and Sun continued to watch.

It didn't stop Sibyll from following with an empty handed strike. He formed a fist and lashed with another overhead strike as Winter dodged back and away from him. The older Schnee expected him to go after his weapon, but the smile on his face spoke of different motivations.

The young hunter felt the slim hand form into his hand, and strikes the floor before him. Sparks from the metal scraping against stone grew larger and larger; a crackling pillar of lightening surging its way towards Winter in a thunderous roar.

The summoned Beowolf couldn't move to protect her as the otherworldly skulls swarmed the beast, smothering it in a collective and gaseous explosion which left it lying immobile; twitching and unresponsive while once glowing eyes dulled.

She summoned a glyph to intercept the oncoming lightening, but found that one had already taken its place. Weiss appeared before her as she conducted Myrtenaster to maintain an active yellow glyph, absorbing the electrical pillar completely. The heiress' icy blue eyes stared at the young hunter, set in a firm and resolute expression that warned him to stand down. His hardened look changed into neutral indifference, softening as if to convey his agreement on the matter.

The needless battle had gone on long enough.

If only the same sentiment could be shared for the Old Qrow as Sibyll felt himself thrown high into the air; his body pelted over and over with blasts from the man's gun. The young hunter raised his arms to cover his face, a few stray pellets leaving thin red lines near his eyes and across his cheeks. He could see the ground below him grow smaller and smaller, unused to being at thrown such a height. Sibyll could just make out the small figure of Qrow waiting for his eventual return downward, weapon poised to strike at the prime moment.

The young hunter was completely exposed and in a position not many Hunters would be comfortable in. His only direction escape was the return downward and the Bold Hunter's Mark demanded completely concentration. As his body began to dip downward, even Sibyll admitted that veteran hunters could fare any better.

" _ **I dislike having to resort to such methods**_..." he muttered to himself.

Ensuring that Evelyn had been securely holstered, he summoned three more tortured spirits using the last of his quick silver bullets. They circled around him as he raised both hands as if to wield something great. Sibyll could make out every distinguishable detail about the weapon, despite how brief his familiarity with it stood to be. He felt the familiar grip of the weapon, usual with nature of all blades. It was only with the sudden difference of sheer weight that he did not wish to remember.

Who would, in sound mind, implement something as unwieldy as the accursed Kirkhammer? He still refused to believe anyone from the Church thought that affixing a heavy stone to a blade was a credible method of combat. Granted, there was Miss Valkyrie but digression aside he would have to borrow her signature style.

He snapped his fingers to have the skulls embedded themselves into the head of the weapon. The infusion would serve as a charge, setting off at the moment of impact in hopes it would neutralize the Huntsman below. Sibyll "swung" the hammer down, and followed the dreaded path down to earth. Qrow grew larger and larger before his eyes as the man had leapt up to meet the young hunter in his fall, the scythe pulled back prepared to strike.

Sibyll was not sure whether he or Qrow would succeed, but the voice which followed determined it to be a draw between them.

"Mister Branwen and Mister Sibyll."

The young hunter's body jerked back violently as a foreign power stopped him and Qrow midair; a distinct mauve color enveloping them. He turned his head to see Goodwitch point her riding crop at them, her face set in a threatening glare. Beside her stood the General, accompanied with armed guards and Penny, with his focus solely on the older Schnee. Ozpin had taken to assuring the crowd of similarly exciting fights being sanctioned elsewhere, though Sibyll was unsure whether the man's nonchalance was a guise or genuine.

"Perhaps you three can **explain** your misconduct to the General and Headmaster."

"Oh no. Am I going to be expelled?" Qrow snarked back.

Goodwitch narrowed her eyes at the man before flicking her riding crop, pulling the two midair hunters after her. Everyone involved person began to follow them, yet Sibyll couldn't help but feel slightly uncomfortable in his hovered prison.

"This could have all been avoided had you or that woman listened to reason," Sibyll spoke. The intent to fight slowly ebbed away as they continued to pass students and visitors alike.

"I warned you to **stay away** from my nieces."

"Circumstances dictate otherwise. Miss Branwen can attest to that."

"I would hardly call my sister a good judge of character."

"Strange how swift assumptions appear to be a theme between you two and Miss Xiao Long."

"What did you just say?"

"Silence!" Goodwitch called back. A flick of her wrist tightened the unseen hold, and both men couldn't restrain a pained yelp. The walk to the tower was long, and the students couldn't help but look horrified as they passed. It was widely known about the disciplinarian's strict demeanor, but rumors of how the "Blonde Mistress" detained the "Demon Hunter" filtered throughout popular scroll media that day. A set of crimson eyes within the crowd watched them walk away as deft fingers typed quickly onto her scroll.

* * *

"To recap everything we've discussed," Ozpin began, "Mister Sibyll did **not** have any underlying motives with any member of Team RWBY, nor did he perform any such actions with persons clearly under the age of consent. It is a complete misunderstanding that had been escalated, to which the young man in question had _tried_ to diffuse, but continued to instigate the altercation. Are we missing anything else Miss Rose?"

Ruby didn't need a mirror to know just how flushed her face had been upon explaining the situation. Aside from the minor trouble of her team being "off campus" after curfew, the young reaper was more concerned about the image of her doing… **that** … with Sibyll at his workshop. A small glance to Blake had deepened her embarrassment when she looked away, a similar color on her face. It didn't help that Sun was with her, giving Ruby a sympathetic smile, yet couldn't meet her eyes. Penny on the other hand, who maintained her spot next to the General, gave her a look of encouragement that would prove more suitable in any other situation.

All she wanted to do now was to crawl under her covers and forget any of it every happened. Ruby didn't want to imagine what that would _be_ like, even if she had taken a secret peek at Blake's _Ninjas of Love_ books or that one time where she saw Sibyll naked when they followed after Blake or the weird feeling she had afterwards—

"Nope! Completely cleared up! Can we _**never**_ talk about this ever again please?"

"Of course Miss Rose."

The headmaster turned to the three paralyzed hunters, two of remained under Goodwitch's hold while the older Schnee sister stood still under the General's watch.

"I expect you three to remain civil," he reminded. With a short nod, the disciplinarian released Qrow, allowing the man to stretch and pop the sore joints around his body. He groaned in relief with his regained freedom, choosing to celebrate with a quick drink from his trust flask.

"Geez Glyn, just because you're wound up doesn't mean I have to know _how_ much."

Goodwitch narrowed her eyes at the man, and Qrow wisely decided to back off.

"Perhaps I may be released as well?" Sibyll suggested. His body was still trapped in its invisible restraints, although he looked completely unperturbed by it.

"Glynda," Ozpin urged.

"You aren't worried in the slightest how armed he is?" she answered. "Every incident he's involved with results in some sort of risk or threat to the public! The Valen police have yet to be satisfied with an answer as to why someone in their custody, with no former history of psychological trauma, is now considered clinically insane, and finally _this_?"

Goodwitch pointed to the Kirkhammer still in the young hunter's grasp, the imbued effect long expired.

"She has a point Oz," the General added. "He's consistently proving himself to be too much of a wild factor that cannot be overlooked."

"We would be remiss to do so James, but there are larger concerns to address. Qrow's findings on the White Fang are admittedly more worrying than Mister Sibyll's continual peculiarity."

With a final look from the headmaster, Goodwitch reluctantly released Sibyll from the hold. The Kirkhammer drop with a heavy thud, threatening to mark the floor beneath it, as Sibyll stretched out his limbs. Choosing to store it away, he leaned himself against the hammer as Ozpin brought out his scroll.

Placing scroll on the desk, he brought up several photos taken of the White Fang's "altered" state. The Faunus resembled those in Addersfield with the clear distinction of their specific features being more pronounced. Hair and fur was wilder, horns more defined, and their bodies noticeably different than the "normal" Faunus. Such information was surprising for everyone to witness, more so with Blake and Ruby as the photos were followed with snippets of video.

The White Fang were herding their _own_ people into cages with unusual violence. They shoved and kick them into their confines without facing any large form of retaliation. Yet they witnessed what happened to those that _do_ struggle against their handlers; to say they were killed on the spot would be too kind of a phase as Blake watched the White Fang tear them apart limb by limb. There were no mercies spared to the few and it was unsettling for the former Faunus girl to watch her brothers and sisters act viciously to their own kind.

Qrow grimaced deeply, recalling the voices clear as day. Suffering and violence had never new to the huntsman, but it had warranted a habit for numbing the memories through heavy drinking. It had been the reason why he had stopped over at the Crow Bar before coming to the academy.

"They're sick," the older Schnee stated firmly.

"Winter!" Weiss answered quickly in horror. A quick glance to Sun and Blake tried to express her apologies, but the two teens could barely hold back a look of distaste.

"She is not wrong." Sibyll spoke up.

Eyes from the younger group snapped to the young hunter, his attention still focused on the video playing before him. Sun wanted to protest, more so on Blake's behalf than his own, before the man raised a hand to stop him.

"The ones here," he pointed to the Members pushing others into cages, "are corralling the afflicted into secure confinement. I do not know why, but they have certainly drawn the lines within their numbers. This does **not** bode well for either of us."

"Are results like this typical?" Ozpin emphasized.

"It would certainly be the case if they intend to study or experiment on them. Somehow, I do not believe that would be the case. "

Sibyll's eyes focused on one man in particular it the video, studying the symptoms that were usual for afflicted Yharnamites. Elongated limbs, beastly features, apathetic or aggravated behavior, unsound minds, and typical signs of blood madness. Yet, the sole worry he began to face were the summation of his fears: Adam had spoken true about discovering its own old blood, and confirmed Raven's claim to their forgotten past.

Remnant carried its very own "tombs of the gods", and somehow survived it once.

To introduce it again would only seal their fate within the overwhelming fear and blood to come.

If the differences between _his_ world and this one are not each other's origins, then perhaps they are two sides of a mirror. Why else would such a damning thing of the old blood exist respectively in each? Sibyll refused to believe in such a coincidence, his thoughts drifting back to the Shadow which attacked the dream.

The sheer darkness of its form…

The crimson blood lust in its eyes…

The pale, untouched moon…

Sibyll could feel the anxious feeling build within his thoughts when the similarities began to form. If such a being bore the resemblances of Grimm, could it have been from Remnant? And if so, _how_?

"I thought that all of them would be…the same…" Ruby worded carefully in spite of the horror she witnessed. Her words drew the young hunter's attention back the images before him.

"My thoughts exactly Ruby," He answered. Qrow's growl at the young hunter's familiarity could be heard, but was ignored as Sibyll stepped closer to inspect the video before them.

"If there is a divide in the changes within the Faunus, then our suspicions are confirmed Headmaster. Unlike humans, the Faunus may have a possible chance of maintaining their sanity and form without the effects."

"The effects of _what_ exactly?" Winter questioned.

The older Schnee looked towards Sibyll who shared a brief look with Ozpin before answering.

"What you are looking at are the results of plague that once existed in your world's past. As such, the one controlling the White Fang and holding possession over it may have intentions to use it against the kingdoms themselves. I understand if the notion appears to be impossible, but Ozpin and a few others suspect this to be true as well."

Winter looked at the man whom her mentor and General respected; the same man who Ironwood once spoke highly off despite their drifting apart. The absurdity of this "associate" can hardly be believed, but the headmaster made no effort to deny or correct him. She almost questioned this man, who had served the kingdom in its wars and attained a respected position, and his sense of judgment yet held her tongue.

"If we know of their location, then why not flush them out now while we have the chance? We prevent them from attacking Vale and interrogate the survivors, further exposing their leaders," she suggested.

"It would certainly stop the threat here, but that move is still unwise."

"As a specialist in the Atlesian military Special Operatives unit, I would have to question your judgment on such a response."

Sibyll looked to the woman, not surprised at her disbelief. It certainly came with the territory of being a stranger, and the suspicion factored into the woman's ties with Ironwood and her own sister. He couldn't blame the sense of familial protection or the upholding of one's duty, something he respected of the woman aside from her skill, but the lack of trust wore his patience thin.

"The environment is an important factor for Hunters and Huntress alike; it provides information of the area and the possibility of threats one may face. If this is true, then why are the other three kingdoms spared?"

"Spared? If you are referring to the incident of Vale's CCT, then I can assure you that security details have been doubled in the remaining three as well. They haven't been 'spared' because there have been no attacks made."

"Of course," Sibyll conceded. "And have the other three suffered form of a breach like in Vale? What of the transportation of your family's cargo of dust to the other regions? Or your kingdom's military supplies?"

"There have been no reported cases of any such attacks. As far as our concerns go, we should focus more on the safety of…"

Winter's word slowly came to halt, her mind connecting the threads of what the young hunter implied. It would certainly make sense with how quiet the other kingdoms have gotten in terms of their concerns. Grimm at their borders continued to be the same, yet the White Fang presence had gone to a significant low; almost as if they disappeared completely from the public. Any instances of public concern resided solely in a kingdom where the trouble began.

"They want us to focus on Vale," she finished.

"And I believe that whoever ordered the White Fang to stay out of sight in the other regions is keeping them busy with something like this."

Sibyll gestured to the holographic information before them.

"I made the proposal to go alone in hopes of meeting with someone who may still have a chance to prevent this. Hopefully Mister Taurus remembered our conversation lest I following through with my warning."

" _ **The Bloody Beast**_?"

"I am somewhat aware that he and your family have transgressions against one another, but now is **not** the time. He is the one I will be meeting in hopes of salvaging the situation."

Winter grit her teeth in fury, the measure of her patience and composure finally running dry.

"That man is a **murderer** and you expect me to stand by and allow you to leave? He has to answer for his crimes! For the people and _families_ he's killed!"

"And such a man holds the identity for the woman responsible for the attack this kingdom. You may do with him what you will _**after**_ I have had a chance to meet with him and find the answers we seek. My work is my own, and so is yours."

"He hasn't told you who she is?" Ruby asked for clarity. She would have thought Sibyll would have something along the lines of a name, but the young hunter shook his head.

"Mister Taurus was careful to remain vague in our conversation. He did not trust that I would fulfill my promise to let him go if he cooperated," the older Schnee continued to seethe, "and only the associate was a woman. The _**only**_ means of gaining his trust is if I meet with him now, and prove that your headmaster and I can somewhat provide a better alternative than the deal he is sealed within. I apologize Ruby, but that was all I could gather from him; no specific descriptions or a name."

Sibyll turned to the headmaster.

"I hope this meeting shall suffice. When shall I depart?"

"Soon," Ozpin answered. "All details will be forwarded to your scroll, so I suggest you make your preparations. The rest of us will remain _here_ to overlook the tournament as the General will continue with security details, and well will try to create some diplomatic leverage to earn his cooperation. As for Qrow and Miss Schnee, they will be relieved of their duties to recuperate from their travels."

Winter wished to object until she felt a stern hand rest on her shoulder.

"Of course Oz," Ironwood answered. "We can't afford to lose the element of surprise if they believe our attention is drawn only to Vale. Let us hope your 'associate' is capable succeeding in his mission while we continue to **discuss** other matters on hand."

The headmaster nodded, taking up his scroll, and allowing the holographic information to disappear.

"One last thing, Mister Sibyll."

A video of the young hunter's earlier fight was brought up overhead.

"Just so we have a frame of reference, how _are_ you able to pull off such feats? Considering your uniqueness, it should help ease the worries of our current company."

"It is difficult to explain, but if I must show you…"

The young hunter moved to the headmaster's desk where his Messengers stared unabashedly at the silver haired man. He removed Evelyn from its holster, placing it carefully next to the unseen creatures as their attention was drawn back to him. Without a secondary pause, they sunk into the desk and reappeared at his shoulders.

The whole process had been slow and unsettling for the onlookers, beginning when Sibyll had changed out of his armor into his familiar grey overcoat attire. His whole body had been covered in a shroud of smoke and had yet to move from his spot when he dusted off himself off.

Sibyll started off with the smaller aspect of his arsenal, taking care to place them onto the table like a child surrendering his possessions unwillingly. A few were weapons Ruby, Blake, and Weiss recognized; the Threaded Cane, Blade of Mercy, Saw Cleaver, and a few they weren't familiar with. He brought forth unusual "firearms", so he claimed, that resembled an overly ornate pesticide pump people once used in their gardens. Some of their designs of the firearms were typical, if sorely outdated, with a few exceptions.

Ruby didn't expect for an old flintlock pistol from his world to have two barrels. Not that the design was unusual for Remnant, but that the original models in Vale's museums were in a state of disrepair. She was surprised to find his "repeating pistol" in usable condition, or that he brought out an unmounted canon from thin air; landing with a resolute thud onto the floor. He struggled with it slightly, the weight of the weapon threatening to tip over, and ensured that it still. Yet the young reaper's eyes were focused on a particular firearm of sleek and engraved design; resting in a compacted state where the barrel and stock of the weapon would extend or retract for use. What components lie within? What could she learn if she were to take it apart piece by piece?

Blake nervously looked on from her spot next to Sun. In her hands was the Reiterpallasch she had picked up after Weiss' sister disarmed Sibyll, unsure of what to do with the unusually intricate weapon. It was heavy for a rapier, purposed to have more resilience she assumed, though it disappeared before her to reappear in the young hunter's possession. Still, she didn't think that Hunters like Sibyll would be so diversely armed with various blades and bludgeons. Sun had gave a slight (terrified) whimper when the serrated weapons, jagged teeth forged onto dark slabs of daunting metal. She was already anticipating the slew of worried questions he would ask about Sibyll, or things about her "training" that may have involved such weapons. Blake knew Sibyll to only wield his Cane and katana during their spar, and she was just as surprised as he was to see the weapons continue to appear. She could see a similar reaction from Ironwood and Goodwitch, eyeing the weapons with distaste while Ozpin simply continued to observe. Blake wondered just how much equipment he carried, let alone how his Messengers _could carry_ such an amount; a sentiment that deepened when he brought a large, wooden wheel that he defends as a viable weapon.

Penny's eyes widened in excitement and intrigue to how Mister Sibyll carry such a cache of weaponry on her person. She was more interested in how her scans of his body still bore no aura readings, yet his performance would resemble semblance users employing similar methods. Her appraisal of each weapon was mixed between genuine awe and a diagnostic rating of statistical efficiency. Collectively, his arsenal was rudimentary; each weapons meeting simple standards designated by their designs. There was nothing particularly special about them, other than the inherent oddity of a few. It was only when Mister Sibyll had begun relinquishing the smallest of his items did her sensors register an unusual spike of…

Her verdant eyes blinked, as her memory core and programs within her system ran several checks and references to the unknown anomaly. Each possible solution or explanation brought up would be quickly be contradicted with more information, or possibly, deeper contradictions. Penny looked closer upon the object he placed onto the table; resembling some sort of slug-like creature which sat immobile. There weren't any signs of life but she dedicated an unusual amount of "energy" emanating from it and the other objects. It didn't hold any aural signatures, but it continued to "hum" with "something".

The same could be said for the glove that had summoned the specters in Mister Sibyll's fight, and for a confirmed non-aura entity, it only present more puzzling questions. Then there was the severed paw of some creature, a few more slug-like trinkets, a skull (she noted how adults grimaced disapprovingly), and a "mini-mace" that produced lightening. A final object of concern was simply a bell, holding no intrinsic peculiarity aside from how intently the young hunter looked at it. Penny would choose the words "longing" and "uncertain" to describe the expression he wore, or that he was "carefully considering" the object in question. When he had rung the bell, no sound came and he placed it gingerly along with the rest.

With his weapons and tools of his person laid bare before them (save for the consumables he left behind), he turned to the headmaster to find the man considerably impressed.

"The credit to such a feat would be with my Messengers; the very same ones that had delivered my message to you and the General. Their presence can only be seen by the Hunters of their choosing or others bearing the same Contract."

"So your _imaginary friends_ help carry your luggage huh? And to think Jimmy there believes I'm seeing things; green fairies, pink elephants, and the like."

"Watch who you're addressing _**Qrow**_."

"Bite me, _Ice Queen_."

"In any case," the headmaster quickly diffused, "it is a bit difficult to believe that your 'messengers' are the ones responsible for keeping you readily equipped. Let alone that no one but you can see them."

"Some things exist outside of our perception headmaster," Sibyll reminded. "But there _**is**_ one other person who can confirm my claims."

Blake felt a chill run through her as Sibyll, and everyone else, turned to face her. _Of course_ she would be the only other person to prove that he wasn't lying or crazy (which affected her by default), but there was still a degree of unease when they waited for an answer.

"I didn't know they could do that?"

It had been poised as a question, unsure of whether to defer the attention away from the existence of the Messengers being _true_ or that her perception of reality would be brought into question. The look of her teammates and Sun made her wish that she could retract her answer.

"You did not—Blake, have you made any effort to _try_ and understand these creatures?"

"I have!"

A brief look of disbelief.

"I _did_ , alright? They're just so clingy and it doesn't help that they look the way they do. It's even harder to sleep at night when they hover around you or just appear when you least expect it."

"Is that why you sometimes fall out of bed and wake us up at night?" Ruby asked the raven haired girl.

"Maybe?"

Two different looks of disbelief from the red and white duo.

"All I'm saying is that I _have_ made an effort, and I didn't know they were capable of holding things in whatever space they inhabit. The thought of them coming so faithfully to my aid never…occurred…to me…"

The same grey fog slowly began to form in her hand, extending just long enough to form into the shape of a cane before disappearing completely. It was the very same Threaded Cane she had used the night of her first hunt, and draped across her arms were her own Messengers. Their vacant eyes and slacked faces looked up to her; their expressions, though devoid of anything specific, hinted of seeking praise for their prompt arrival. Blake's eyes locked with Sibyll, his brow arched as if to say " _I told you so_ " and merely watched as the creatures on her arm climbed and rested on her shoulders.

"You didn't take up being a magician as a hobby, did you?" Sun asked beside her. His eyes were still fixated on the newly materialized weapon in her possession.

"If only it were that simple…"

"Is this true Miss Belladonna?" Ozpin added as he stood from his desk, taking another sip as he inspected the items laid out on his desk.

"Yes headmaster. They aren't easy to describe, and I don't believe any of you would take kindly to how they look."

Sibyll scoffed as he turned back to the Hunter's tools on the table.

"You of all company should know to never misjudge by appearance alone."

He took up the aged skull and turned to the rest of the group, extending a hand out to Blake.

"Lend me one of your quicksilver for a moment."

She wanted to question why, even as her Messenger appeared in his hand and left a quicksilver bullet before returning to its proper master. With both items in hands, Sibyll raised the skull and allowed his body to become enveloped in a back smoke to disappear shortly after. His presence couldn't be found, with the exception of the creatures left in his place. The effect of their surprise had not gone unnoticed as they studied the four pale creatures before them. To Blake, it acted as naturally as the Sibyll or her own Messengers, cradling the message protectively as they looked up to the group.

" _I never thought such a parlor trick would be necessary_ ," Sibyll's voice spoke up. " _Hopefully this clears up the remaining concerns_."

The illusion disappeared. Sibyll began to fade back into the room in the very same spot he disappeared from, snapping his fingers, and allowing his Messengers to retrieve the entirety of his belongings.

"And to think we were beginning to know you," Ozpin commented idly while the young hunter collected himself.

"There are still things about myself I have yet to remember. Shall I be excused?"

"Of course. The rest of my colleagues will remain behind to discuss the matter further, and I'll have a bullhead ready for your departure when available."

Sibyll nodded in confirmation and made his way to the available elevator. As the doors opened, he stepped in with Blake being the second to enter. Sun made to follow before he was stopped by an extended arm, preventing Ruby and Weiss entry as well.

"I hope you do not mind catching the next available lift," Sibyll spoke. The faunus, surprised by the sudden request, tried to answer as the young hunter pressed the button to close the elevator doors.

"There is specific matter I must consult with Miss Belladonna in private."

"Can't it wait until—"

The door closed, sending both Sibyll and Blake down the tower alone. It wasn't a surprise that the girl had returned to her usual and serious self once out of the company of Sun and her teammates. He could see the troubled expression she wore reflected of the metal doors, and answered one of the many questions she had yet to ask.

"I cannot allow any of them to escape."

" _All_ of them!?"

"You have seen the evidence for yourself Blake. This is what our work will entail and if we wish to prevent another Addersfield incident, a single person must not be spared."

"Adam wouldn't allow it. He would kill you before you even **think** about drawing your weapon."

"I had warned Adam about this, and the repercussions that would follow if they are brazen enough to dabble in things best left alone. The only hopeful explanation we can assume is that such an event happened _before_ his return, and not instigated by him. That would give us some leniency to save those who have been untouched by the blood."

"But what about the ones who aren't sick?"

"You mean the very same brethren whose change is just as worrying as their lesser? Forgive my frankness Blake, but that is something greatly unnatural to what you and I have seen. **No one** should have changed that quickly and I cannot underestimate such worrying signs."

"And what? You expect me to come along with you to kill _my_ people? Is that it?"

"Not this time, no."

Blake gripped her hands tightly, furious over the thought of killing people alongside him. She had agreed to training and studying under him as a means to continue being a Huntress. Out of the any all of her expectations of him, she didn't believe Sibyll could be just another Adam; right down to the detached ruthlessness.

"I would rather have you here and keep vigilant while I am away," he continued. "Something feels wrong and you would be more suitable in providing aid to your teammates if necessary."

"What brought this on all of a sudden?"

"I do not know…" he confessed. "I just wish to be cautious in the days to come. Keep your eyes to the surroundings and spare no threat if you must. That is all I wish to say."

The elevator continued to descend, only a few floors from the lobby when Blake reached out and pulled on the emergency stop. They came to a slow halt as Sibyll's eyes followed her outstretched hand to her eyes.

"What did you mean when you said you would, _'follow through with your warning'_ about Adam?"

"It means exactly as it sounds Blake. The conditions I have set apply to him, and he is no exception if he proves to be same as the others."

"There's no convincing you is there?"

"What is there to convince me of? With every spar, I see your memories Blake and I can understand why you are hesitant now more than ever. Your ties with him still hold some value, however small it may be, and I know the feeling of having to severe them for a larger cause. Yet you have seen my memories as well and what could very well happen if I take no action against them."

Sibyll carefully removed her hand from the button, and pressed it again.

"Everyone around me continues to suspect my intentions, and I cannot fault them for it. I am not acting on a sinister goal, nor am I out slay the innocent lives of your people. I can only hope _you_ to be more reasonable because you have seen and fought against it yourself. You know what is at stake."

The carriage touched down upon the ground floor, and the doors began to open.

"Aside from Ruby, and bless her honest soul, I need _you_ to trust me on this."

His voice had been resolute, sure of its convictions while he stepped out of the lift. It was strange to hear it again after a time of relaxed complacency; to feel that sense of self-assuredness which would not be swayed by her or anyone else. This was the voice of a man who had never forgotten the nature of his work. Even as Blake watched him enter the lobby to meet a concerned and irritated Chisa, her voice reprimanding him for getting in trouble _again_ , she could see his anxiousness masked behind a "bored and unrepentant" look. The rest of her team was found in the lobby as well; Ruby, Weiss, and Sun having taken another elevator down, and arriving before them. Even when they kept up appearances, she could feel their worry extend outward to her as she followed them into the open space. They would no doubt question the nature of her and Sibyll's private conversation, but there was a reluctance to do so.

How can she tell her team that Sibyll was setting off for a slaughter?

* * *

Winter studied the data and records carefully, thankful that the General had allowed her to take part in their conference. The information was appalling at best, barely able to restrain her repulsion of the images and video collected over this "Sibyll's" stay. Even with the specific footage of the man's fight with Qrow, despite how much she detested the drunkard, she felt a slight twinge of concern with the amount of blood spilled in such a large space. It had been a desperate struggle to subdue the stranger which cost him dearly with that last gunshot wound. Winter had been more surprised that Ruby, Weiss' partner, intervened in the way she had; expelling a full, high caliber magazine that had put Sibyll down before his disappearance.

With each and every report from outside the kingdoms, the more the older Schnee distrusted the man.

"And you haven't done anything to apprehend him?"

"His cooperation has provided us an entry point within the White Fang, and bringing us closer to culprit behind the breach," Ozpin explained. "Granted, Mister Sibyll is someone we cannot overlook, and we have **not** slackened our watch on him, but his assistance is necessary."

"Having first years chaperoning him around hardly seems like a solid foundation of security."

"That may be so, but Teams RWBY, JNPR, and CFVY have been a critical factor in keeping him from acting on his own. The fact that he continues to maintain a cordial relationship with them proves that he is aligned with us."

"For how long?"

"As long as necessary."

Winter scoffed. It was a breach in her composure, but a necessary one if the General had allowed her to react as she had. Qrow had been the only other person in the room to share her discontent of the situation, the scent of a strong alcohol pervading the room. Still, the man's presence around her sister's team was proving too close for comfort, another thing silently agreed upon between herself and Qrow.

"What if he fails?" she asked once more. "I doubt the White Fang would listen to a single human if they've gone and rounded up their own. We can't risk them slipping out of our hands when we know where they are."

"They won't," Qrow spoke up. "From what I picked up, they're aiming to take the whole kingdom. Dunno how, but they'll be coming straight for us here if things pan out for them."

"All the more reason to stop them before it comes to that."

"And you think your tin soldiers will be up for the job? Hate to 'critique' something you specialists came up with, but your robot armada hardly stemmed the swarm during the Breach. Talk about false advertising…"

"Those 'tin soldier' are the very same forces fighting outside your walls right now in place of your Huntsmen and Huntresses."

"That's enough Winter," Ironwood intervened.

Following the order quickly, the older Schnee restrained her response and stood at the ready. The General moved to stand before Ozpin to look at the rest of the information before them.

"If we attack now, we'd only split our forces and provide an unnecessary opening. We will continue to guard the borders and skies until the festival is over. Should they come, we'll be ready."

Ozpin nodded his head in confirmation, and the general turned to leave.

"Penny, Winter."

Both women followed after him as the elevator arrived, stepping in, and descending down the tower itself.

"With all due respect General, I cannot agree with this plan," Winter confessed. Penny nodded thoughtfully as the sequences of probability she ran privately continued to filter through.

"Considering all possible variables and known factors, the rate of success for Mister Sibyll's mission is at 8.32 %."

"I am aware of both your concerns regarding the matter, but we cannot act on our own accord."

"But the council-"

"The council expects us to survey the festival and ensure its citizens to be protected. Should you or I act on our own, or if we move our forces, we could be breaching national interest between Atlas and Vale. The citizens here will begin to believe that we mean to police their kingdom. We stay the course."

"So you mean for us to do nothing?"

Ironwood looked to the woman he had personally trained, and a small smile forming on his features. How long had he known the "would be" heiress, and still find her as tenacious and as impatient as ever? He had worked away the typical pride or the indignation she once carried upon their first meeting. He mentored enough where she could surpass her peers by the merit of her own refined skill. There had been moments when the Older Schnee's disdain for the Faunus had grown to be problematic, suspecting even those staffed under him, and he had been thorough in dispelling the inherited ire of her father.

Years later, Winter became one of several officers, human and faunus, to join his special forces. Age and experience had shown to add to her disposition, molding her into a more composed model for her younger sister. Still, to find her in these brief moments where the woman beside him reminded him of the young and boastful girl provided some comfort in his growing age.

"After all this time, you still have much to learn."

"Sir?"

" _You_ and _I_ are unable to do anything. As for Penny…"

The young android stood at attention at the call of her name.

"She'll be following after him to make sure the Fang doesn't decide to move toward Vale. The cloaking prototype should be repaired as of now and I trust Penny to ensure a successful mission."

"Will I be following the usual parameters uncle?"

"Not this time," he pulled out his scroll and adjusted a few of the girl's settings. "This will be final test Penny. You've proven yourself more than enough in the tournament, and I believe this is the moment to show the kingdoms what you are capable of."

Penny smiled enthusiastic, her mind barely able to contain the excitement of such a mission.

"I'm combat ready Uncle! I won't let you down!"

The elevator touched down and before Winter could question it, Penny sped off to the General's airship to prepare for her mission. Following after the girl at a leisurely place, Ironwood answered her concerns.

"We can arrange another partner for Miss Soleil in the tournament. It should be enough to draw suspicion away from Penny's absence and I would not want her to be exposed should any of the other students prove capable of doing so."

"That isn't why I'm still against it."

"You would prefer I send you and your team instead?"

"Of course! I do not doubt that girl with the reports we've seen, but she lacks the experience necessary for a mission of this size."

"I would rather have the girl prove us wrong than you and your team exposed out there. Her father and I had created this project with the sole intent on taking abled bodies back from outside the walls. With others like Penny, we can finally push the Grimm back without losing any more lives. This is her purpose and we must see the fruit of our labors."

Winter couldn't argue with him, choosing instead to contemplate in silence.

"And besides," Ironwood added, "I fear what your mother would do to me had she known I sent you out there."

The older Schnee scoffed.

"Don't you mean my father?"

The General shook his head.

"I've known the man for many years, and we have had our fair share of grief in our line of work. I know your father to be a very determined and stubborn man, but he is nothing compared to the **_woman_** he married."

Winter crossed her arms in disbelief.

" _Mother_? That hardly sounds believable…"

"If I recall, she never approved of you becoming a Huntress or having anything to do with the military. Neither did your father, but he allowed it after I convinced him otherwise. Your mother on the other hand…"

He pointed to the piece of metal over his brow.

"She gave me this when she found out _you_ were accepted into _my_ academy."

He chuckled at the memory when the petite and fragile woman had taken the nameplate off his desk and struck him with it.

"In any case, I would like you to stay here and assist with overseeing security with the AK-200's. If you wish to, you may also spend time with your sister in your off hours. I'm sure there is much you two would like to catch up on."

"Thank you, sir," she answered with a salute. "I will be sure to overlook everything before the day's end."

"See to it that you do."

* * *

With the elevator descending down the tower with the General and his company in tow, Ozpin released a heavy sigh as he turned to Goodwitch and Qrow. The stress of the festival was beginning to show in his fatigue, drinking more coffee than usual, and receiving more messages of concern by the Council. Ironwood had hoped Qrow returned with good news, but beggars couldn't be choosers.

"You know they're not going to sit by, right?" the huntsman spoke up.

"I wouldn't expect them too. James will undoubtedly send one of his own to handle the matter with Sibyll and the White Fang, but I cannot expend any resources to stop him. The Council has their eyes on us both, stopping us short from acting out of place. He won't risk losing face with them now, but I can't send anyone else after Sibyll without suspicion. I'm afraid he's on his own.

"No one's going to know if I slip out. If Jimmy's gonna send his finest, they're not going to be subtle about it. Ice Queen's about as discreet as flashy airship."

"That won't be necessary…"

Qrow narrowed his eyes at the headmaster in disbelief.

"Oz…"

"If Miss Schnee were to leave now, her absence would surely be noticed. Her closet ties with General would ensure that she stays _here_ while the same is to be said for _you_. Considering your confrontation earlier, people are already talking about your presence here."

Ozpin took out his scroll and forward information over to the huntsman.

"Instead, I would like for you to 'mentor' one of my students to prepare them for the days to come."

Qrow studied the profile briefly on his own scroll, skimming most of the details, before looking up in disagreement.

"This isn't going to be some tournament feedback or pep talk is it?"

"I wish it were. Considering that things around Mister Sibyll continue to grow ominous, we need another person capable of subduing him if necessary."

"And I thought that was Belladonna's job; keeping an eye on him by using her 'condition' and all that."

"It is, but his attempt to intervene in your fight only proves that she is simply not enough. Without her aura, Miss Belladonna is similarly vulnerable as he is, but with a severe handicap to her skill. We're going to need someone with their aura in tact and the proficiency to hold their own in a fight."

"I don't know about this one Oz…"

Qrow turned to Goodwitch who, despite sharing in his disagreement, wore a worried expression; a genuine look of conflict and duty as she remained silent.

"My only other option is Miss Rose whose speed is beginning to rival yours. She holds the skills, but not the conviction to stop him if he happens to lose control over himself again. Not only that, I doubt you would allow her to undertake such a task."

Ozpin leaned solemnly against his desk, resting his chin upon folded hands.

"I wanted to entrust this job to Raven, but she has been off the grid and out of contact for too long. With her so focused on scouring the city and the academy for leads, I doubt she would make time to help us in our endeavor."

"Not that she would if given the chance…"

"So I need you to go over what you've learned from your fights and help prepare _her_. I scouted her out personally because I believe she already embodies what is expected of a Huntress."

"And her team?"

"I will handle that personally. What I'm asking of her is something they will undoubtedly be against, but she is our best candidate."

Qrow sighed, reaching for his flask to take another drink before finding it empty.

"You place a lot of trust in her, but I'm not going to hold back because she's a kid. If she breaks, she breaks. If it wasn't going to happen here, it was eventually going to happen out there…"

"Try not to underestimate my students," the headmaster answered as a different elevator arrived on his floor. The doors slowly opened and all three adults turned to the girl stepping in.

"You needed to see me Professor?"

"I do. Please, take a seat."

Ozpin gestured to the seat before him.

"There is something important we wish to discuss with you."

* * *

"People are going to think you're a trouble maker if you _always_ get into trouble Sibyll!"

"Let me remind you that I was there to _**stop**_ the fight little one, not cause it."

"Did you?"

"…I tried?"

The young hunter didn't need to look beside him to find the young girl shaking her head. Chisa had been thorough in scolding him about his involvement in the fight, or that the mess left behind was being tended to by Beacon's staff. She had been worried something had happened (to him) or that he was somehow involved (he was), but her angered had since faded in their stroll through the academy gardens. They would stop often, allowing her the moment to take in the various aromas and colors unseen around the workshop. The two were accompanied by Ruby and her team, talking among themselves and Sun, while maintaining a distance to allow them a moment.

"You're going somewhere, aren't you?" she asked suddenly.

"I am."

"For how long?"

"A few days at best. Blake will watch over you and the workshop while I am away."

"And you'll come back right?"

"Of course I will. There is no need to fret over it."

"Okay…"

Sibyll could still feel the uncertainty and discomfort of his leaving from the young girl; taking a long moment to watch the tiger lilies sway gently in the breeze. He assumed that she had grown used to leaving and finding him welcoming her home upon her return. This would be the first time he would have an extended absence. He reached our and rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Besides," he began, "I will need someone bear the news of the festival's victories when I return."

Chisa looks up the young hunter, tilting her head slightly in curiosity.

"You don't think Weiss or Yang will make it to the finals?"

"If I can be completely honest…"

Sibyll spares a quick look to the heiress and brawler.

"My support is rallied behind Miss Nikos and Miss Valkyrie; a similar, but more successful pair of the candidates."

"Hey!"

Chisa breaks into a small smile as Weiss and Yang looked toward the direction in annoyance. She pinches his hand firmly in as much a warning as her hand could allow.

"Don't be mean."

The young hunter rolled his eyes dramatically before as a different voice spoke up.

"Yeah, because Oum forbid anything terrible happens to you."

Emerald and Mercury appeared around the corner of the gardens at a slow paced. Her sour expression seemed to have deepened since their last confrontation, baring a similar resemble to Yang. Her posture was rigid, and clearly conveying her desire to be anywhere else but here. The grey haired partner next to her looked pleased, savoring the disdain and discomfort of the girl beside him as they stopped a short space away. Ruby had informed him of their names, and answered them as such.

"Miss Sustrai. Mister Black."

Sibyll nodded respectively to them as he felt the familiar (and nervous) hold of Chisa hiding behind his legs.

"Enjoying an evening stroll before dinner? Maybe clear your thoughts before the tournaments?"

"Nah," Mercury answered casually. "Was never one for flowers. Allergies are a pain to deal with and I already have my hands full making sure Em here doesn't get her hands caught where they shouldn't be."

Emerald sent him a dangerous glare from the corner of her eyes, hiding the threat in a display of huffed annoyance; if she was going to play the "troublesome teammate", she'll give her "partner" an even harder time to deal with. The way Sibyll looked at her didn't help either. His eyes told of understanding or pity. These were feelings she had seen constantly throughout her life to the point of having reflexive irritation. Most people who dared to look at her with some "sympathy" often had their eyes gouged and wallets picked.

"Such a shame," Sibyll answered. He surveyed the garden, inhaling its aroma deeply, and gave a satisfied sigh. Both Mercury and Emerald internally groaned, unsure why they had to meet with _him_ now. As they noticed Team RWBY and the faunus make their approach, the grey haired teen understood a bit of his partner's gripe for this academy; herds of goody-two-shoes with all their morally right ambitions and insufferable optimism.

"Merc? Em?" Ruby called out as they neared. The young reaper eyed the mint haired girl warily; not of suspicion, but of a nervousness that more conflict would transpire.

"We're not here to pick a fight," Mercury answered. "From what we saw today at the courtyard, I think it's fair to say we know when we're outmatched."

"Oh! You two… saw all of that?"

"It was kinda hard to miss, what with the rubble and the shouting and the videos circulating through our scrolls. I even made a fair amount of lien from it."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out several colored cards before placing them back.

"It's not every day you see a Schnee _**lose**_ , but with five-to-one odds? Couldn't possibly pass something like that up. No offense there Weiss."

The heiress glared at the boy, and he raised his hands in surrender while stepping away.

"Anyways, our leader wanted to thank you personally. She knows it's a bit late, but preparing for the tournament kept all of us busy. She hopes you don't mind meeting with her back at our dorm."

"There is no need," Sibyll tried to dissuade. "Her words and gratitude are enough, and I do not wish to make her feel indebted for such a thing."

Mercury shook his head, bearing an apologetic look as he tucked his hands into his pockets.

"Can't do. She _expressly_ said to bring you back because she wanted to meet with the person who let her teammate off the hook. Others haven't been as generous when this happened a few times before. If anything, I guess she's interested in why you didn't report Em."

"If she insists, then I suppose it should not be too much trouble…"

"Great! We'll let her know we're on the way back. Play nicely Em."

"Grrr…"

"Is it alright if we come along?" Ruby chimed in. "Maybe compare notes on the competition? Better our chances?"

"Aren't we each other's competition?" Emerald remarked a bit too dryly.

As Ruby fumbled over her words from the unintentional slip up, the rest of her team noticed the unusual undertone of hostility toward their leader. Their social awareness (which Ruby still lacked) from various "aggressive" environments (political balls, bars, and revolutionary bases) rang alarms of concern. Emerald had come off as amiable and friendly when they had first met, and to suddenly come off as cold and detached was strange. The only plausible reason they could agree on was that previous confrontations with Sibyll continued to carry over now; even as his nonchalance for the situation added to the figurative flames.

Blake stepped forward, bringing up the support as best as she could.

"I think what she is trying to say is at your team must have missed a few fights while you prepped. The same could be said for us and any information, even from our competition, could be useful."

"Mhmm! And a competition is more fun if all of us make it!" Ruby added enthusiastically.

"It doesn't sound too bad," Mercury answered. "Our captain would appreciate that, right Em?"

The mint haired girl looked warily to her partner. Their orders were clear and they were supposed to _only_ bring back the man and no one else. They didn't need to worry about the randomized chances if Cinder had been the one fixing the entire tournament; setting her and Mercury up with weaker teams in order to progress. If she were to rebuff them now, though, they would certainly cement their suspicion of her.

Emerald ran her a hand down her face, rubbing away the (increasing) stress and gave them all a tired look.

"You're right. Sharing what we know would be something we'll need if we want to make it to the finals." She flashed Ruby an "apologetic and earnest" smile. "I know I'm coming off as catty, but with Merc and I moving on to the doubles round… the pressure and expectation to win is had to shrug off."

"Pssh! A tournament's no fun if we're all wound up," Yang weighed in.

"I guess…"

It had been enough of a response to invite the blonde to provide alternative reasons for enjoying the Vytal festival, and allowing the partners to guide the group (regrettably) back to their guest dorm. Emerald continued to humor Ruby and Yang, careful to maintain her ruse of an overworked student while her partner played the "easygoing student". Listening to all of them under the pretense of friendship was taxing for the duo; they found all of their optimism and cheer irritating, save for their intended target. Sibyll had taken to walking behind them silently, listening to bits and pieces of their conversation while following closely behind.

They knew enough from previous encounters that the man looked bothered by something. Both had seen the fight and he being carried off by the headmaster's partner, and whatever had resulted in the exchange was apparent. Behind the "composure" his eyes seemed focused on private thoughts; something Cinder would be suspicious and wary of. Even as they entered the building, passing by other visiting students, the man stared straight ahead taking no notice of the few giving him a wide berth.

The group came to a stop at their room as Mercury pulled out his scroll.

"I don't want to sound inhospitable, but you're all are going to have to wait outside."

He motioned to the door.

"Our leader's been busy with helping Em and I plan our tactics, and she's a bit picky with her company when she's focused. I hope you don't mind?"

There was a general agreement among the teens. They could understand wanting their privacy and opted to wait for Sibyll to return after his brief meeting. Mercury swiped his scroll and stepped in with Emerald and the young hunter in tow.

The room bore a similar look to the lodgings provided to Beacon students by Sibyll's account; modestly furnished with some accents hinting at more stylish additions. Beds were cleanly made and sitting at one of the desks he found the back of a woman writing diligently away; long, wavy locks of silken black hair brushed over her left shoulder. As the door closed behind them, the woman stopped in her work to look back.

"Ah, just the man I've been waiting for."

Her voice carried a soothing tone with a particular sweetness in the vowels. She stood, turning to face and approach Sibyll with an outstretched hand which he received and shook.

"I'm Ember Damiani, leader of Team ESME and responsible for my troublesome teammates. I hope she hasn't caused you too much trouble."

He studied her form and picked up a few interesting points about her person. Ember lacked any defining armor with the exception of the pauldron on her left shoulder. Bandages were wrapped around her chest and a brown leather vest was worn over it; baring her slim and toned stomach. Leather boots were also worn over grey pants, a leather belt and pouches around her waist with similar bandages. He could feel the warmth of her hands emanating through her fingerless gloves and into his own hands; something he couldn't decide if comfortable or discomforting. Yet the starker feature about the woman is the way that she looked at him.

Dark amber eyes bore into his which hinted at a profound interest and… something else. The small curl of her lips made him wonder if she was interested in his "intention" of allowing Emerald to go without quarrel, or if she had simply caught word of his "less composed" presence upon campus. Sibyll didn't think that his mock trial with Blake would gain him any reputation, yet it had done so much to his confusion.

"Sibyll," he introduced himself. "And worry not about her. If anything, I greatly respect such a skill though I would advise against using it so frequently."

Ember (Cinder) pulled out the lighter Sylvia (Neo) had "returned" to her, "studying" it before him before putting it away.

"True. Emerald's 'habit' does come in handy when dealing with the usual raider or troublemaker during our missions. Still, I have to wonder why you would allow her to go unpunished. If anything, I wouldn't be made if you're still angry with her for something she deserved."

Emerald winced at the woman's words, and could hardly bring herself to look at her. Sibyll waved away the notion while gesturing to the mint haired girl.

"Long standing grudges are not beneficial in my line of work. I simply found her interesting to observe and she acted as I anticipated. In a way, I admittedly baited her to act and it would be unfair to reprimand her for something I allowed to happen."

She smirked slightly at his response in one part disbelief, one part deeper intrigue.

"You really _are_ as unusual as others have said about you."

"It is something I aim to improve if those around me believe me to be strange."

"There's nothing wrong with being _unique_ ," Ember reassured. "The odd ones usually are something _special_ , or even something we've never seen before."

"You are much too kind Miss Damiani."

"Please, Ember is fine. There's no need for formalities between friends, and you've certainly proven yourself as one by being as merciful as you are."

Sibyll restrained the hitch in his breathing, and refused to allow the weight of his title ruin his meeting with Ember. Instead, he nodded in confirmation as he slowly removed his hand from hers.

"Things can be forgiven," he answered. "Now, your teammates say you wished to meet with me to express your thanks? I do not mean to sound rude or ungrateful, but such gratitude is not necessary."

"Oh but of course it is," she countered. "After constantly meeting with officers and teachers dealing with Emerald's terrible habit for taking what isn't hers, none of them had given her such kindness. She's a dependable girl whose habits make it difficult to know her. All anyone can see is someone who continues to steal. Not you though."

The woman stepped closer.

"You recognized something in her that I have, and you even respect such a skill that others frown upon. You didn't just spare her, but even pointed out the flaws of her lacking in subtlety. You still treated her like an equal, and that is something I can't ignore."

She titled her head slightly, and the bangs over her left eye moved to reveal the other pair of darkened amber.

"Thank you. And should you ever need our assistance in anything, we'll be sure to return the kindness you've given us."

The young hunter was surprised by such an honest and direct approach. The recurring patterns of suspicious and wary gazes had become routine and he had forgotten what it felt like to be thanked wholeheartedly. Sibyll wouldn't dismiss Ruby or Sun's efforts in those fields, but they too kept a safe distance from him stemmed in uncertainty. _This_ was a woman who had thanked him without really knowing who he was, but he could feel something genuine about her words.

"I cannot in good conscience turn down such an offer, can I?"

Ember's smile grew.

"I'm glad you haven't. Are you staying until the end of the festival or…?"

"I have some form of residency here in Vale, though I am occasionally steeped in my own work. Still, I look forward to forging what we have here."

"And _I_ look forward to knowing as much as I can about you."

Sibyll shared a smile of his own; placing a hand over his heart as he bowed deeply before her.

"I should not overdo my stay now Miss Ember," he spoke as straightened himself up. "You and your team still have much to prepare for and I will be sure not to impede it. Should you wish to relay any messages to me, Miss Rose and her team will be sure to pass them off."

The woman gave the young hunter a small, playful pout.

"Wouldn't it be convenient to exchange numbers? Why have someone act as our messenger when our connection can be _direct_?"

"If I may be bold, Ember, I do not believe that would be wise."

She had given him a surprised look, and Sibyll was quick to dispel any misunderstood thoughts that may have formed.

"Aside from how my work makes my presence scarce, I have, for lack of a better phrase, 'aggressive tendencies'. I would not want to put you or your team in such exposure, and Miss Rose and Miss Blake are two that I can entrust my security to. I hope you understand."

Ember nodded her head.

"I do. Just don't make yourself _too_ scarce. I would hate to lose such an interesting person out of the many I've met."

Before he could answer, a different voice called out from an unseen part of the room.

" _Ember~_! Who're talking too?"

Everyone turned to the closed door of the room's en suite bathroom; sounds of a shower coming to a stop from within. Sibyll hadn't realized that the whole team would be present for his meeting with Ember, and his concerns of his presence began to grow.

"It's the man you three met some time ago," Ember called back. "The one who let Emerald go."

"He's here?"

"He is. I just wanted to thank him—"

Footsteps on the other side made their way to the door, and opened quickly to reveal Sylvia (Neo) clad and a pink towel and having clearly finished her shower. Her black hair was still wet, allowing the tips to send rivulets of water down her bare glistening skin. She held the towel tightly around her petite yet curvy body, the bottom of the towel just stopping at her thighs where the rest of her legs stood in a similar radiant fashion. Verdant eyes looked at him, surprised that he had come and it quickly changed to a dangerously playful gleam as she moved to stand before him.

"Sibyll~!" her melodic voice called out. "I didn't think you'd come by so soon."

"And I did not except to find you unprepared for my visit. Allow me to give you your privacy to change. I was about to make my exit anyways."

The young hunter turned to leave until he felt a hand stop him part way.

"Oh, you don't have to do that," Sylvia (Neo) reassured. "Rather, I only hoped that you would have come _sooner_ to visit me, and hopefully while the _others_ were **away**."

Emerald, Mercury, and Ember (Cinder) exchanged a few looks between them. The woman's amber eyes questioned the intimate actions of their "teammate", finding the development "new" and leaving her _greatly_ uninformed, while the other two tried explain as best as they could; nervous looks and unsure shrugs. Sylvia continued to maintain her hold on Sibyll with her free hand as she stepped around to his front.

"I hardly doubt I would have found your lodgings without the help of your team," he answered. "And such unannounced visits would be improper of me to do. To call upon a young woman without proper invitation is inappropriate and unnecessarily suggestive."

"All the more interesting to me, handsome."

She released him and reached up to stroke the side of his face. The young hunter flinched slightly at the contact, but she followed through with her action undisturbed. He could feel a different warmth this time, one after a hot shower as her thumb caressed his cheek. She stood in such a way that she had to tiptoe to reach him, resting her body against his slightly for support. He noted that her hair carried a spiced scent, hints of cinnamon that wasn't too overwhelming. Her lips curled up into a large crescent smile, knowing that she was enjoying his discomfort. Strangely, though, it didn't perturb him as much as he thought.

Sibyll let out an uncustomary cough to mask his growing nervousness, stopping her hand and returning it gently to her side.

"I do not believe your teammates would approve of your behavior."

"Oh I know they don't," she answered un-apologetically, "but it's been a while since we last met. You've left a very interesting impression, so spoil a girl for a time and allow her to savor it all just a bit more."

Sylvia (Neo) turned to her leader with a curious look on her face, leaning her back gently against the young hunter. Sibyll was more or less forced to hold his ground as he refused to let her fall, even if her action was breaching normal boundaries of comfort.

"So are we doing anything _special_ ~ to thank him?"

"We agreed to providing him aid should he need our help in anything," the woman answered coolly. "It's something to foster future cooperation to build better connections and newer friends."

"That's it?"

Ember (Cinder) had maintained composure in spite of the girl's apparent display of boldness to undermine her. Sylvia (Neo) went as far as to look unimpressed, tucking her free arm under the other as she leaned more against the young hunter.

"There must be something _else_ we can do to show him our gratitude."

"I suppose that's true—"

"Wonderful! I'll take care of it from here!"

She spun around to face Sibyll and close whatever minuscule distance that was between them.

"You don't happen to be busy with anything are you?"

Sibyll considered the necessary things he would have to take with him before his departure, adding into the need for haste.

"I am scheduled to leave soon, but I believe there is some time before then."

"Enough for me to monopolize you for a night?"

The young hunter's faced furrowed in confusion at the sudden clarification.

"That depends on the activities involved."

"Oh, there'll be plenty activities for _su~re_!"

Sylvia had giggled lightly, leaving the rest of her company to take her invitation differently.

Ember (Cinder) was more than displeased with Neo's disguised insinuations, as it stood to be a problematic to have Sibyll _too_ involved with them so quickly. She still had to confirm for herself that Adam had his confidence to be considered an ally. Until then, she would work her way into his trust before it could be compromised by Torchwick's associate. The woman was just as insufferable as Emerald and Mercury's bickering, if only to share in the thief's penchant for selfishly acquired gain. The other two members of her "team" watched on in shock as Neo continued use suggestive sex appeal on the man unabashedly. They had never seen her take much interest in anything other than the torturous mutilation of her subjects (or so they assumed from the occasional missing underling), but it was unsettling to see her as such. Sibyll merely assumed that her inherent forwardness of her display was another aspect of social convention; an overly familiar friendliness which would break him out of his "comfort zone" as Chisa would put it. Although the occasional contact of their bodies was something he did not anticipate of the young woman.

"If Miss Ember does not mind you're doing so…"

He looked to the woman for confirmation, finding that she had (reluctantly) agreed to the proposition of their future outing.

"Sylvia can be a bit… insistent on things. I hope that doesn't deter you from our future associations."

"I would not think so. I only hope that my shortcomings of societal tactlessness do not come off as overbearing. I am still… new to Vale. Acclimating to customs inside the walls takes some getting used to."

"You're from outside the kingdom?" Sylvia (Neo) asked.

"Something along those lines."

Sibyll placed his hands on her shoulders and gently stepped away from her, careful to maintain a modest distance between them.

"Now I must really take my leave. I have to prepare for my work and I must not keep you in such a state," he spoke while gesturing to the towel. He had averted his eyes from straying too far south from the verdant ones watching him, and he could feel the woman's smile grow wider.

"There's no need to be _shy_. I don't mind if you wished to stay a while longer. I wouldn't even fault you if you were curious for a look."

"Even if that were true, I would have to decline such an offer. By age and appearance alone, many people here would consider me inappropriate for a young miss such as yourself. I do not wish to draw you into such conflicts of a misunderstanding."

"So you _**do**_ want a peek?"

There was a brief moment of silence where the question hung in the air. The three remaining occupants expected that Sibyll would have answered promptly, but the man continued to stare back at the shorter woman before him; never breaking his gaze while his face remained unreadable. It went on a few moments longer, long enough for the young hunter to break contact first and look at anything else but the woman in front of him as her lilting laughter followed.

"Ohoho~! We've met only once you _naughty_ boy!"

The young hunter had faced many terrorizing and frightful creatures in his work as a Hunter. Occasionally, he would suffer a small bout of paralysis from fear when he had started, but self-discipline had improved his mental fortitude. The _**only**_ exception to that rule remained for the rare moments he had genuine lose composure in the presence of those he respected and admired. Heat rushed to his face as his exposed embarrassment came forth. Sibyll knew that any form of intimacy was a scarcity among Hunters, who were so focused with their work or study, but he could not deny the intrinsic attractiveness of the woman before him.

Clad in nothing but a towel, she exuded a confidence synonymous to the oldest and well respected veterans of the workshops. Her direct and brazen demeanor as a woman had taken him off guard; the women he had encountered still carried some form of proper decorum. Sylvia had coyly flaunted the finer aspects of her sex, teasing him in a manner most men would rebuff or uncouthly pursue. It wasn't the body, so thinly veiled, that had enticed his interest, but her confidence in which she was sure that she had him.

For a moment, she had.

"If you look Merc, you'll pay for it later~!"

"What are you talking abou—gah!"

Sibyll had been looking at the provided collection of reading material before realizing she had begun to move. He noticed that the grey haired teen was struggling with something pink wrapped tightly around his face; hands pawing desperately at the damp cloth. Sylvia (Neo) still stood before him, though the young hunter felt a firm hands pull on his collar to lower his gaze. Green eyes challenged him to look lower, her smile taunting him to do so as her hands held him tightly. She had even gone as to lean back a little, baring her entire self to him should his eyes wander.

She had expected his will to break, and giving into the desire that all men succumb to. It would be a first of many to break in the time to come, but…

Sibyll disentangled himself gently from her grasp, and extended his hand out to Mercury for the towel. After the teen had removed it from his face, Mercury threw it over to the young hunter and the fabric was caught without breaking his gaze on her. His hands moved above her, placing the towel over still wet hair, and began the process of drying it for her.

"You will catch your death this way."

The young hunter said nothing else as he set about the task, careful not to be rough on the woman before him who stood still. When he deemed her raven locks dry enough, he draped the towel around her shoulders while tucking it snugly.

"I shall take my leave. Good evening to you all; Miss Ember, Miss Sustrai, Mister Black, and… Sylvia…"

Giving them a curt nod, Sibyll turned and left the room as quickly as he arrived. Eyes turned his way as the door closed behind him. Whatever conversation they shared stopped immediately as he looked about them, leaving his silence up for speculation.

"Is everything okay Sibyll?" Ruby asked with concern.

The young hunter simply nodded.

Everyone exchanged brief looks as Blake pressed the matter further.

"Are you… sure?"

Another nod.

Before more questions could be asked, Sibyll began to walk away and making his exit from the visitor's dorm. Everyone followed after, yet he didn't slow his pace at the calls. Chisa left the ranks of the group and ran forward to catch up with the young hunter.

"Sibyll!" she called. "What's wrong—"

Her worry halted for a moment as she pulled on his hand. It was enough for him to stop and allowing everyone else to catch up with them.

"Why do you look all red?" she asked. "Are you feeling sick?"

Upon closer inspection, Ruby and the rest of their company found that Sibyll was indeed red in the face. It wasn't of sickly discomfort or of provoked fury. Even against his tanned skin, the crimson color shone brightly while he remained silent. It left them to question whether or not his meeting with Emerald and Mercury's leader had gone terribly when a melodic voice called out behind them all.

" ** _Sibyll~_**!"

As much as he wished to not look back and proceed forward, his body turned to the source of the voice. Quick footsteps rushed toward him, his sight suddenly obscured by something pink while he doubled over. A fist had struck him square in the solar plexus, waves of pain rocking his body, and robbing him quickly of breath. The attack had been an unexpected surprise, but what halted his thoughts were the lips he felt on his own. They were soft and molded against his, but they weren't gentle as she locked them together with nibbling teeth. Her tightening grip on his ashened hair was nothing compared to the painful kiss she had given him, even if a flicker of her tongue had moved in to soothe the sore spot she held him.

He didn't know what exactly the others were seeing, or how long she intended to keep him there with her. When she did release him, Sibyll could feel her breath panting against his neck as she pulled him closer.

"Don't think for a moment you can run~," she whispered, "because I'll be coming for you soon~!"

With a final, playful bite at the nape of his neck, he could feel her hands slip through his hair, disappearing as she pulled them and the towel away from his eyes. Sylvia (Neo) hung the fabric over her shoulders; her hair done in a lazy ponytail, while her hands and towel covered her still bare chest. He could no longer help but notice just how pale and smooth her flesh was between valley of her sizable bust. Her stomach was lithe and thin, muscles taut with training. The playful glint in her eyes made sure he was watching as she turned to leave. She swayed her hips, emphasizing her curves and the _**very**_ thin, black lace of her undergarment which covered almost nothing and shown him the suppleness of her bottom.

Many who were passing by froze mid stride to see the woman pass, though she had looked back to him and _only_ him. Sylvia (Neo) had given him a small wave before disappearing into her dorm. Sibyll was in a state in disbelief, unsure whether she had truly gone after him and in such a manner as well. His hand tentatively reached up to where he bit him, relieved to find she had not drawn blood, but the bruising remained. Orange eyes looked to Ruby and team in hopes that it had simply been a brief delusion or a mere illusion.

Their reception was nothing short of incredulity (Ruby) and fury (Weiss, Yang, Blake). The brawler had taken the initiative to cover Chisa's eyes from the display, even as the young girl continued to ask what was going on or why she couldn't look. Collectively among the older girls in Team RWBY, there was an aura and wary suspicion for what may have transpired. Even if he to try and explain himself, he wasn't sure if they would believe them. How could he even explain Sylvia without implicating himself as something else entirely?

Sun sidled up next to him, bearing a small sense of sympathy as he placed a hand on the young hunter's shoulder.

"I know how you feel…"

"Thank you Sun. You have no idea the misunderstanding I—"

"It was completely worth it."

It was at this point that Sibyll questioned whether or not he was willing to take on four angry aspiring Huntresses or Sylvia alone.

* * *

Neo returned to the dorm to face Cinder waiting unamused with her arms crossed tightly, and a dangerous look in her eye. The illusionist simply ignored her ire, choosing instead to prepare her attire for the evening and contemplating on punishing Mercury anyways.

"What exactly do you think you're doing?"

She turned back to Cinder and pantomimed putting on her clothes.

"Do not test my patience Neo. If compromise us now at our most crucial moment, don't think for a moment I'll hesitate in killing you where you stand."

A ball of flame formed in the woman's hand to emphasize her threat. The temperature of the room began to rise, startling the other two members in the room. Neo continued to watch on and nodded noncommittally, returning her attention to preparing her outfit. If she pushed Cinder just a tad more, she didn't doubt that the woman would follow through in her word. Except that Neo knew she wouldn't kill her _now_. She need her and Roman just as much as she needed those animals, and she wouldn't be as intimidated by her threats as her "associate" would.

Neo knew that everyone had something to gain if they succeeded.

For her, she would claim Sibyll for herself.

Cinder waved the fire away from her hand somewhat satisfied that Neo would step back in line.

"Is it really necessary of us to get close to him?" Emerald asked. "Mercury and I could keep watching from afar without having us be so involved."

"It is," Cinder replied simply. "From what we've seen so far, Ozpin is forced into a corner where Sibyll is concerned. He and his comrades cannot help but suspect him, pushing him further away towards us. If the young man cannot earn the trust of these Huntsmen and Huntresses, then we can 'find it' through us. Unless Adam has swayed him to our side, we maintain our cover."

Emerald turned to her partner, sending him an unsure look to which he shrugged back in response.

"Speaking of which…" Cinder added.

With the end of the festival coming close, she pulled out her scroll to ensure everything was in place, and that Ozpin and the General were where she wanted them to be. A series of messages from Roman told of his completion of his task; placing large dust explosives at key points of the kingdom's walls. Despite the sarcastic tone and litany of complaints, he had finished his job and ordered him to prepare for the next task.

She would need him and Neo to commandeer the General's airship to reduce the rest of his aerial fleet. Once the skies over Vale are cleared of its guard, the public panic should be enough to draw the rest of the Grimm their way.

The only point of concern now was Sibyll's "covert" trip towards the underground White Fang base. Details of a bullhead heading out toward that general direction and the young hunter's mention of departure did not bode well for her plans. She brought up Adam's contact before the scroll in her hand vibrated with an incoming call. Recognizing the caller, she brought up the imageless screen.

"Adam," she answered, "you finally called."

" _It took me some time to return on foot, and I've been busy with finishing things here._ "

"A courtesy call would have been nice, unless you've been avoiding me for some particular reason."

" _Not at all. There have been—_ " Cinder heard something roar on the other end, a brief struggle, and then silence, " _minor setbacks._ "

"Hopefully these setbacks haven't stopped you from completing your task."

" _We're close to the final chamber. The scouts we've sent forward should report back soon and relay its location._ "

She paused in her questioning, a single brow raised in curiosity.

"You're awfully cooperative tonight aren't you Adam."

" _The sooner we finish, the closer we are to taking the kingdom._ "

This was certainly new for the usually distant and obstinate faunus. Adam hardly made the effort to restrain his disdain for her after she had more or less forced him and his superiors to work with her. He was an adamant force in refusing to deal with her until the other Fang leaders convinced him to tolerate her.

" _Is there anything else?_ "

"We've met the man who's captured the attention of our enemies," Cinder remarked. "An unusual one, but he's certainly someone I'd like to have on our side. Hopefully you've convinced him."

" _I haven't told him who you are, and he knows little of our plans, but he's agreed to an alliance. It seems he's after the same thing we are._ "

The woman felt a strange lurch at the words he spoke, an unusual discomfort she's come to trust in all her years. She had dropped all pretense of patience as her face formed into a serious expression.

"How sure are you exactly?"

" _Very. For an outsider, he knows more than he lets on and is familiar with the things we've found here._ "

Cinder reflexively looked to the locked drawer where the ancient tome sat inside.

"It seems Ozpin is planning to send him your way. Prepare for his arrival and confirm for sure if he _**truly**_ is on our side."

" _Understood._ "

The call ends and the glass screen of the scroll becomes empty, reflecting the woman's image upon the surface.

"You three go out and prepare for your roles. I need the space to think."

Neo, after gathering a few bundles of clothing, shattered out of existence. Mercury and Emerald nodded in confirmation and left the dorm to Cinder, the silence of the room permeating the air. Perhaps she had underestimated Sibyll and his strange nature, his presence the very thing she didn't expect to come into existence. The tome had referred these Blood Hunters as primordial, apex predators. Their prowess in hunting Grimm and their bloodlust was an unknown facet to Remnant until she gained possession of the book.

She had also once believed that such things were only legends… until someone had told her otherwise.

Cinder searched through her contacts, finding one in particular and called through the third and final secure line. The tone rang for a few moments before it stopped completely.

"We may have a problem," she spoke immediately into the scroll.

" _The animal subordinate refusing to cooperate?_ " a voice asked.

"His sudden cooperation leaves me to suspect a betrayal. Something must have happened in that town that changed his mind, and we can't risk losing the second chalice. I can't say for sure if the rest of them are involved as well."

" _So long as you retrieve it, you may deal with the beasts as you wish._ "

Should the CCT be disengaged, Cinder believed it possible to deal with Adam and the rest of his soldiers without alerting the other three in Vacuo, Atlas, and Mistral. Add to that a possible take over of the Atlesian air fleet with the same virus, she could still enact with her plans for Vale _without_ the White Fang at the risk of losing the chalice she's been searching for. There were also the concerns about their changed appearances and demeanor from the information gathered today and the notes about Sibyll. She would have to reassess her plan to deal with a possible turncoat or a full on mutiny.

"And not only that," Cinder continued, "I've met with the man you told me about. He does not appear like the Blood Hunters from the tome, but this Sibyll has knowledge about these chalices as well. He'll be travelling towards Adam's direction and I'm not sure if that will be fruitful or disadvantageous for us."

"… _Sibyll?_ "

The woman paused.

"Yes, that was how he introduced himself."

" _Only_ _as ' **Sibyll** ' and not as ' **Sibyll Ashford** '?_" the voice urged.

"I… wouldn't know."

" _Send me his description._ "

Cinder frowned slightly at the scroll in her hand.

"What purpose would that serve? You don't happen to know him do you?"

" _ **Send me his description.**_ "

It had been a first that her contact had acted aggressively toward her, who was often complacent and subdued. Yet at the mention of the young hunter, her contact had changed completely into being just as insistent as Adam. Cinder scrolled through her acquired information from Ozpin's scroll and sent over a photo of Sibyll. There was a brief moment of silence before the voice spoke again.

" _Under_ _ **no**_ _circumstances are you to allow him to slip away. Whatever the methods, you bring him to_ _ **me**_ _._ "

The call ends abruptly and the scroll sits silently in Cinder's hands. Waves of doubt stifled her usually calm composure as the rest of her thoughts filtered through. The more involved Sibyll becomes with those around him, questions and curiosities continue to grow. She believed him as a necessary tool for her plans, the adamant tone of her contact only furthered her curious suspicion of the man she had met.

* * *

Sibyll adjusted the rest of his equipment, ensuring that he was fully stocked and prepared for his venture outside the walls. He arrived at the helipad by dawn when the sun was about to crest over the horizon, finding comfort in the early morning chill.

"Come back soon," a tired voice reminded him. He had tried to convince Chisa to stay behind and rest, but the young girl was resolute in seeing him off.

"I will try, little one."

The young hunter knelt down as she embraced him, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. He pulled her equally close, kissing the top of her head before letting go to address the rest of his company.

"The security of the workshop is under you watch Blake," he reminded. "Remain vigilant in my absence."

The raven haired girl nodded as Chisa took her place next to her. Blake looked to the rest of her team who, unlike their usual habit, had decided to see him off as well. They were mostly dressed in their sleepwear when they received the call from Sibyll to look after the young girl when they could. Yang could barely stand, bleary eyes trying to stay awake as she leaned against her partner in her sleepiness. Weiss, more collected in her tiredness, wrapped the white cardigan closer to herself as she stood by Ruby; dressed in her usual pajamas with the addition of her red hood.

"Headmaster," Sibyll addressed the sixth and final member of the group. "I cannot promise a successful trip, but I hope to return bearing good news."

"Hopefully one that will put an end to all of our troubles."

The young hunter nodded in agreement as the turbines of the bullhead behind him began to turn. He looked to the rest of team RWBY, eyes stopping at their young leader. Ruby looked on, equally as unsure as Chisa about his lone departure outside the walls. Her concern had reminded him of that night when the weight of his troubles were too much, and he had still no proper way to thank her. He moved to stand before her, silver eyes looking up at his in surprise.

"Ruby."

"Yes?" she answered tentatively.

"I wanted to thank you for your company that night. It must have been difficult for you to deal with."

"Oh! No that's okay! I mean, I've dealt with you before so it isn't anything new."

Immediately, Ruby realized what she spoke and sputtered a few excuses and reiterations for what she truly meant. It was enough for Sibyll to chuckle softly at her genuine and kind effort to remain a reliable ally to him. The bullhead began to pick up speed, its high pitch hint signaling its preparation to depart.

"Take care young miss."

"You too Sibyll."

Her nervous and awkward smile matched his soft one. The young hunter turned to leave, pausing slightly before turning back to the young reaper. He reached out, his hand combing through her short hair as he bent down toward her. Ruby wasn't prepared for such contact, and the surprise of it all had frozen her in place as her face continued to match her namesake.

The action was enough to waken Weiss and Yang immediately, but there was a familiarity with what Blake saw before her. Sibyll's hand rested behind the young girl's head as he gently pressed his forehead against hers. The rest of her team couldn't have heard his words over the sound of the bullhead, but she had known them as clear as the day they were first spoken.

 _Blake had stood in doorway of that manor, feeling uneasy as she watched the older girl prepared to leave. Her long, golden hair had been neatly and properly tied back, and her dress prim and proper for a young lady._

" _I don't want you to go," Blake spoke sadly._

" _I know you don't, but I must," the woman answered. "I won't be gone for long, but I promise to write when I can. Behave for me while I'm away darling."_

" _I will…"_

 _The woman, whose face she couldn't remember clearly, smiled as she bent down and beckoned her over. Blake slowly made her way to her, feeling her hands gently tilt his face up to hers as their foreheads gently touched._

" _ **May my thoughts be your protection and guide**_ ," both Sibyll and the memory of the woman spoke in unison. The young hunter released Ruby and entered the bullhead while Weiss and Yang's cries of indignation followed. The vehicle lifted itself into the air, and flown off into the distance away from the academy and kingdom itself.

* * *

 **A/N: And so everyone begins to set their plans in motions. Hopefully it fares well for all of them (okay, maybe not ALL of them).**


	18. Vytal Errors

**A/N: It took a year, but I'm back for sure. Thanks to those for sticking around as long as you had.**

* * *

Crates of supplies and various items were loaded, one after the other, onto the various bullheads within a particularly guarded heliport. Uniformed bodies with the Vale's sigil sewn onto their shoulders moved about the busy dark morning, orders and exchanges between each and every one of them to ensure all was accounted for. With the festival at its peak, and the exception of the already scarce Dust supply, Beacon Academy required additional resources to maintain both the stadium and its visiting sister schools. It demanded overtime for the underappreciated or unacknowledged few that worked behind the scenes of the kingdom, and time that would be generously paid well by the headmaster himself. So like ants in synchronicity, the men and women filed back and forth to meet their final quota for the shift in an earnest effort to go home and be with their families. They'd leave it to the next shift to take care of any additional or rush hour requests.

"How are ships 117 to 131?" asked one of the managers over the now spinning turbines.

"They're secured and ready for lift ma'am! Beacon is ready to receive upon delivery!"

"Good to hear! Whichever ship needs refueling, let their staff know and they'll—"

A sound of a truck's horn blared off in the distance, and the manager turns to one of the chain linked gates. Low and behold there sits _another_ freighter with Oum knows what inside, and they were expected to just receive _**another shipment**_? She grits her teeth and walks toward the gate, stringing together several curses in every language she knew as one of the security guards at the checkpoint looks over the manifest.

"What's going on here Derrick? Last I checked we had everything prepared and ready to go!"

"Don't rightly know Carol, but it looks like a last minute change."

"How much of a change are we talking?"

The guard hands over the manifest, and she looks over the details carefully; noting of the sort of cargo being transferred to them. She recognized the Watterson's Shipping and Co., and knew them to be reliable to one of the few other delivery services that worked into the night as well. She looked over the additional Beacon cargo, a list filled with maintenance kits, spare parts, yadda yadda yadda… and Dust? Her eyes narrowed over that detail, coded specifically under the name "snow glass", and that could only mean this shipment was a Schnee sensitive delivery. It wasn't anything new to the manager who had seen her fair share of sensitive cargo come and go between kingdoms. Hell, if it weren't for the White Fang making business for them harder, there wouldn't be a need for undisclosed means of transporting Dust.

In any case, work was still work, and the only thing that bothered her about this shipment was the sudden arrival itself. The papers checked out with the traditional Schnee call sign, but her superiors would have notified her to some degree about it than to leave it in the dark. They handled last minute orders before, but that was because some _ **one**_ called it in and not have the shipment simply appear unannounced.

"Stay here and wait for my signal," she warns the guard. "Something doesn't feel right."

"Want me to hail some VPD officers to come by just in case?"

"Don't call them in yet. If it turns out to be nothing, then we're wasting both our times. Just keep a line ready while I sort this out."

Slowly approaching the truck, she knocks on the driver side door with the manifest in hand as the window rolls down. A tired looking man in similar uniform looks down at her; pale skin with brown hair at his crown, green eyes bleary from a seemingly long drive. She quickly scans around the truck looking for anything out of place as she addressed the driver.

"What are you doing here?"

"Huh?" The man looked genuinely confused by her sudden questioning. "I'm here to drop of a delivery—"

"The manifest shows your rig carrying additional supplies that our current airships _aren't_ authorized to deliver," she explained sternly. "We wouldn't be having this discussion if your boss gave us the heads up, but they didn't and here we are. That leaves us with a problem."

"Are you sure no one from the company called? Vorris said he'd get us the go ahead, but he's the new guy covering for Luca, the usual girl."

There was a weary urgency in his voice, and it was a troubled tone she could at least sympathize with when asked to work more than her usual hours. She was familiar with the receptionist mentioned; a girl who was underpaid doing someone else's job, but was nice and competent enough. A bit mousy though, and it did match the calls a few days ago that she would be out. Carol hadn't been in the office much, and she quickly called over to some of the guys still moving deliveries. Their responses were mixed, a few shrugs and unsure nods, leaving her back at square one. Glancing over the manifest one last time, she checked to see for any discrepancies that the ironclad protocol she had drilled into her since day one. There were still a few things about this that felt off, and in a situation like this, she knew she would have to call the boss himself at an ungodly hour just to make sure the paperwork filled out. If she wanted to be super thorough, she'd need to call the VPD too in order to do a quick look over the rig for anything else that was odd.

She ran a hand over her eyes.

"In a situation like, I'm supposed to have you wait until we sort this mess out," she explained. "We can't accept any surprise and _sensitive_ shipments, even with the proper manifest, without the call ahead from your boss. If no one can properly claim it, you'd be sent back to sort out the problem yourself."

The man's face turned crestfallen. "Come on, miss! We've been hauling shipments all over the city just _today_ and—"

Carol raised her hand to stop him. "It's damn late, and I know you're tired like the rest of us. I'm not sending you back, but I'll need to do a quick sweep of your rig to make sure everything looks ship shape. Now go ahead and pull into loading bay 3, alright?"

The man smiled, sputtering a stream of thanks for her understanding as Carol signaled for the gate to open. A few others guided the truck to the indicated bay, and she followed after them on foot as they came to a stop. She watched as the rest of her crew went back to finishing up, and the driver that was climbing out of the truck a bit too consciously than her liking.

"Everything okay?"

He flinches, almost missing a step on the way day, as he turns to look at her and back inside the carriage.

"Yeah, everything's fine. My partner has a bit of a temper when something startles her out of her sleep."

The doors is slowly pulled open, and Carol notices a rather small woman tucked against the side of truck: dressed in similar uniform with her legs brought up against her body, arms holding them in place, and a head resting deeply against the knees. Her skin looked fair with black hair done neatly into a tight ponytail, and Carol could see the rise and fall of evened breathing from her chest.

"If you two need a space to rest in, you're welcome to use the break room we have here," Carol offered. "Now let's see this rig of yours."

He nods, and for the next few minutes he follows her during her sweep. The man answers all of her questions when asked, and shows the proper forms and identifications when needed (with some careful work around his sleeping partner). Carol finds everything around the truck to be in the clear, knowing for sure that the vehicle in question was clean. She learned that the man's name was Maron Aim (a Mistralian, he claims) from his license and uniform, and he seemed friendly enough. Maybe he's eagerness to cooperate stemmed from a greater need to rest, and she couldn't fault him for that either. All that was left now was the cargo, and she could finally be one step closer to going home and sleeping a full day in her apartment.

"Alright then, last thing now is the cargo. When we're done with this, I'll brew us something to drink," she offered as they walked toward the back of the truck.

"You're really too kind," Maron replied, a bit sheepishly.

"S'alright. The least we can do for the miscommunication is make your last trip quick, or at least send you two home after a bit of sleep. It's not safe to drive drowsy so late, right?"

He nods, and pulls out the set of keys to unlock the rolling metal door. Carol watches as he's careful to not let the thing slam up noisily; using his full body to gingerly push and pull the door when necessary at the slightest groan of metal. With the back fully opened, they look into the metal container to see the dark vague outlines of crates and boxes. There is a bit of space for someone to walk through, and she knew she had to confirm that the Schnee sensitive delivery was indeed there.

"Sorry about that," he spoke as he pulled out a flashlight from his belt. "The guys moving stuff from our last stop knocked out our lights and my partner gave them a bit of her mind for it."

"You don't say…"

Carol strains her eyes to search through the darkness before taking the offered light. "Give me a second to clear out the space before we get that coffee eh?"

"After you," he gestures.

She climbs into the truck, careful to not knock over anything, and slowly makes her way toward the back. Her mind takes careful notes of the things she passes, finding them familiar to what the manifest showed her. There are moments where boxes have to be moved, whatever her body is able to manage, as she searches for the sensitive cargo in the flashlight's pale beam.

"If there's anything odd…" his voice calls out.

"I'll be sure to ask you about," she finishes for him.

Further and further back she moves, until she finds a sizable metallic case with the Schnee logo printed across its surface. Pulling out the manifest once more, she compares the shipping number and finds them to be appropriately the same. Carol sighs, relieved that at least something was to some extent sorted out. It still bothered her that the higher ups haven't notified her, or that no one called, but every Vytal festival held in Vale kept the background workers like her completely busy. She would chalk it up to a small mistake, go home, and finally sleep in a bed that was hers.

"You're in the clear," she confirms. "We'll lock this up and wait for the airships to return after their next trip."

"Wonderful!"

She turned to find a pair of eyes staring directly at her from the darkness. Her mind, dulled by exhaustion, is slow to register the sudden appearance as the flashlight slips from her hand. It doesn't show immediately, but she realized that her breathing had become difficult; a burning sensation piercing her throat as hands weakly struggle with the thin blade. She felt it push further, robbing the woman of her life as she falls backward on the Schnee crate; her body convulsing as blood seeps onto the case. The job is quick and quiet, unlike the assailants preferred methods, but a job completed no less. A gloved hand reaches for a rag kept on the body, and slowly wipes away the blood on the blade; dismissively tossing the cloth on to the woman's face upon finishing.

"Everything alright in there?"

Neo turned to the opening of the truck, and made her way through the boxes and crates with ease. The man looked up to her, unsurprised by her sudden arrival, but finds himself disappointed that her guise was readily dropped. He knew his partner to be reliable, but her habit of being restless had drawbacks of unacceptable sloppiness. Eyes quickly scanned the area, ensuring that no one was nearby to see their ruse. She makes a quick motion across her neck, confirming that everything was certainly alright.

"Took you long enough," the man remarked as he began to remove the vestiges of his disguise; pulling off the wig, wiping away the makeup, and disrobing the uncomfortable uniform. The fabric was thick and starchy to sit in, but hiding in plain sight demanded necessary sacrifice. Still, no one would ever say that Roman Torchwick wasn't thorough. It had taken him some time to get in touch with Cinder after his breakout, and his sudden order to deliver thirty airships to the White Fang was… worrying. Of course he knew what those animals intended to use it for; dropping Grimm into the city would certainly keep every Huntsman and Huntress busy and distracted. It was a plan he could get behind that would upset every notion of established order these privileged people hold dear. It would be the comeuppance they all deserved, and he would pick up the spoils afterwards when the "Queen" is satisfied.

Euphemisms aside, Roman wasn't a man to worry. He had learned long ago trust his own intuition after so many close calls and bad scrapes with the law and lowlifes alike. If a deal had even the slightest _whiff_ of danger to himself or his partner, Roman would bow out. If anyone was sent after him or Neo, it was made sure that his decline of the offer was made **very** clear; or in several pieces if necessary.

But there were certain moments where his second-guesswork screamed innate danger.

It couldn't be reasoned with or bargained against, and the rarity of it had served to teach him to caution. The rumors that began to spread inside and outside the kingdom couldn't be ignored, even by the likes of him who thought such things were beneath him.

He saw the White Fang as animals; things that could be trained or "coerced" to follow commands. What worried him, though, was how often that sentiment grew in hushed exchanges between normal civilians. Imagination be damned, the specificity of the violent and gory details about some outside town couldn't be real. Hell, even during the down time between sealing ships and Dust the terrified words reached his ears; from the lowliest of beggars and the snobbiest of the privileged. These fanatical terrorists were growing more feral like the animals they are? It was something he had to have Junior confirm for him. It took the information broker some time to contact his sources outside the walls, and yet the answers he received added more the rumor.

For some reason, they were rounding up their kind while remaining in seclusion; not only in Vale, but in the other three kingdoms as well. The only other detail tied to it revolved around some Faunus settlement that was recently overwhelmed by a horde of Grimm. Someone arrived there for recruitment, and whether or not they were successful remains speculative. Roman at least believed they weren't that animalistic to turn on their own kind, but some things were just innate. Maybe the town refused and the Fang didn't take kindly their answer, seeing the Grimm as a means of practice for the full scale attack.

It was possible, but his gut screamed otherwise.

He knew better than to ask Cinder sensitive questions that challenged her authority, but he wasn't appreciating being kept out of the loop for too long. Tossing the disguise back inside the truck, his hands were quickly set to work adjusting his meticulous attire. There was no need to delay their work further, and he was just glad that he didn't have to deliver the airships in person. If Roman was needed inside the walls (father than the Fang), he wouldn't complain. His hand slipped into his coat, pulling out a scroll that had been responsible for auto-piloting his deliveries outside the kingdom to the drop point. He had to admit that it was impressive that she was able to obtain something that would disable an entire kingdom.

"It's the same song and dance again, I'm afraid," he spoke to his partner. "And this time make it _clean_. We didn't need a spectacle to keep the cops busy with the bodies. A bit of seared fingertips and missing teeth would have been fine as far slowing their identification, but mutilation is a _bit_ much."

With a few presses and a destination input later, the airships would take off on their own in a few moments; cargo and all. It would be the last delivery to be made before his next role in infiltrating the General's airships, a feat that was currently underway until Junior fished him some poor sap's ID and uniform. If Roman timed it correctly, he would be patrolling alongside the other army brats by the festival's finals. He still needed to learn the names of "comrades" and the mannerisms of his unfortunate mark, but it would be an easy role to slip into. Stowing his scroll away, he looks over to his Neapolitan themed partner as her attention seemed more focus on her own scroll.

"Did you hear me Neo?" It wasn't like her receive an order twice, but the raised finger held to quiet him was certainly unlike her. She stuck a thumb back to the inside of the truck while her eyes remained focused on her scroll. Rolling his eyes in disbelief, he climbed up into the interior to see a collections of bodies propped around the cargo in various positions. Some were posed as if they were playing cards, others were lounging casually, or as if they were sleeping heavily upon the boxes. Every single one of the night shift crew was present, albeit bloodier after their initial arrival.

She never stopped surprising him at least.

"Considering the method of how you enjoy your work, I'm surprised by how civil it all looks. It's by far your ' _cleanest_ ' piece."

Neo nods in agreement, her eyes still intent on her scroll. Roman steps down, sidling up behind her to glance over the pictures she was gleaning through; her Haven persona in the company of another man who (surprisingly) dressed well. By the looks of it, it seems that his partner had gone on another of her "dates" again; something he knew that eventually ended in a gruesome departure. All the men and women she lured became a part of her artistic motif: their corpses imitating the indolence of life itself. They served as a core message of some futility that Neo wished to prove, or simply that she was sociopath who enjoyed pushing the boundaries of what was immorally unsound.

Roman knew she cared very little for people used in he projects, but she never lingered on them. He noticed the breathless sigh, and how her shoulders rose and fell like a girl in yearning.

"Is there something I should know?" he asked.

Neo spun around, pointing to the image on her scroll with her on the unnamed man. Her gestures are exaggerated; motions that mimic concepts of confusion and frustration, as well as a sense of eagerness. All were lost on Roman, who watched her one sided exchanges before interrupting her.

"Isn't he just another of your 'projects'?"

She shook her head, hands motioning her response.

 _He's too important for something like that._

"Important _**how**_?"

Neo pantomimed maniacal laughter, devil horns, and whipping motions at Roman's direction. In spite of the caricature implied, his expression darkened as the answer.

"Cinder has an interest in this person."

A nod of confirmation.

"And do you know _why_ she would be interested in him?"

Neo made a provocative gesture with her hands, over exaggerating the swiftness of the motion and the expression on her face. He frowned at the diminutive woman in disbelief who, after implying that their employer needed certain needs fulfilled, crossed her fingers and held them behind her back.

"Double cross from the inside huh. And I take it she wants you and the other two brats to play nice?"

Another nod.

"Well, if he's 'important' to her, then leave him alone," he ordered. "Whatever she asks, just do as you're told and put up with it for now. We don't need to make ourselves a problem, and I'm sure there'll be others you can use for your exhibits."

Neo's eyes grew into a deep and dangerous scowl, shaking her head vigorously as she pointed to the man and back to herself.

 _He's mine_.

"Not if Cinder wants him," Roman dismissed. "Seriously Neo, of all the things to step on her toes for, and it's over some guy?"

His fall to the hard concrete floor was a swift one, his balance toppled as her foot hooked around his ankle and pulled. Adding insult to injury, his chest was met with an overhead kick that slammed him down and held him in place; the heel of her boot threatening to pierce his chest. Angry eyes matched furious ones as Neo stared down at him, her blade inches above his throat while the other hand showed a video on her scroll. She made sure that he watched it, guiding his wayward glances with tentative pokes.

Roman, deciding to not push his luck with another dangerous woman, acquiesced and looked at the video. He was shown a fight between two Huntsmen (he guessed), and it wasn't an unfamiliar sight. He had brushed against a few of them before, and most of them could hardly be called a "fight" if he was scraping to survive. It wasn't like the tournaments that masses enjoy with all their rules and sportsmanship; losing a fight meant watching your life spill around you as everyone else sneers above. Yet the longer Roman watched, the more he realized how underwhelming his own skirmishes were in comparison the recording.

Every hit was taken in stride, an exchange that would kill any lesser person in mere seconds, yet was dealt fairly upon the scythe wielding Huntsmen. Blood splattered across the floor, painting a gruesome display, but the man from the image fought on relentlessly. To even say that was a man at all felt wrong; this was something entirely feral. It was what Roman imagined a person could succumb to when there is nothing left to lose; no morals or convictions to hold them back. Neo zoomed in closer, and he saw _**how**_ the man was capable of fighting when he should have passed out from the blood loss.

Roman saw the fresh wounds heal while the other Hunter grew sluggish in his movements. Blood taken from the enemy to compensate for your own; if there was ever a semblance he didn't want to come up against, then this was certainly it. Neo pulled back the scroll, nodding to it as if she had made her point clear.

This was a man who couldn't be easily killed, and she was a woman who took pleasure in other people's pain. If hell existed, then it must have certainly frozen over because Neopolitan was " _ **in want**_." Like a spoiled child, whatever she desired became territorially **hers** and hers alone.

"Were I any other person," he began, "I would have hired as many mercenaries possible to try and deal with you."

He reached up and moved the blade from his throat, and found no resistance in doing so.

"But you and I know that would only be helping you, and not killing you. You terrify me too much, and I value my body more than what you're capable of doing to it."

Neo grins, stepping off the thief as she stows the blade away back into her parasol. Dusting off the unnecessary dirt, Roman leveled his gaze back with hers before making his way out of the empty hanger.

"You still can't have him," he called back. "If you keep pushing your luck, not even my careful planning can save you from the 'Queen'."

Heels clacked hurriedly behind him, stomping at a steady tempo like a child throwing a tantrum. He didn't need to look back to know the contemptuous expression on her face, but work needed to be done and they couldn't afford to be behind schedule. They stepped out into the open air, the sound of propellers and turbine whining, as the airships began to lift off one by one. Taking off in unison, they tilted their direction towards the forest and drifted away like an ominous flock bearing gifts for the oncoming days.

Neo stopped beside him, arms tightly crossed as she kicked at his shins. Roman bore the brunt of it knowing that she would sulk on it as long as her patience would allow. It was times like this that he wished she were a simpler woman: Lien, jewels, high rise living, anything that didn't involve expanding her little art project. People weren't meant to go missing _often_ , and disposing of the parts she didn't use was a costly service from the cleaners.

"Look at it this way," he spoke, "when the foundations of Vale are busy with falling apart, _anything_ can happen. Maybe this guy, whoever he is, gets lost among the chaos. Maybe he dies or just suddenly disappears. Cinder has the forces, but she can't be everywhere at once. Chalk it up to something she didn't anticipate."

Roman pulled out a cigar and lit it with (horribly classless) matches. He took several thoughtful puffs before gesturing back to his partner.

"You and I aren't responsible for that because we'll be on the warship following her plan to the letter. But when shit actually hits the fan? Anything goes."

Neo looks up at him curiously as he took a deep drag, and exhales the smoke slowly into the cold air.

"Just deal with it for now until it all blows over. Distance makes the fruit taste sweeter, or so they say."

Roman felt a small and slender arm wrap around his waist, and for a moment his body stiffens. The world around them melds away and the familiar lurch in his stomach halts as they arrive somewhere dark and underground. It was a cellar by the looks of it, one where numerous bottles of wine and alcohol are kept in storage. She had taken them to Junior's and thankfully not to her exhibit. Mismatched eyes looked up to him pleadingly, as if she was being promised a pony made entirely of diamonds, and he shrugs noncommittally. Apparently it was enough as she gave him a brief, half-hug squeeze before stalking up the stairs; twirling her parasol happily at whatever "creative" thought came to mind.

First there were children ruining their plans, then the rumors about the White Fang, and now his partner becoming suddenly possessive over a guy he would rather not meet in person; added to the fact that his "boss" and benefactor wanted to use?

The thief lets out a long and slow sigh. Times were simpler before, but he digressed.

An Atlesian air fleet wasn't going to overtake itself.

* * *

Breakfast that morning was tamer than their usual antics, and the teams were now focused on advising their teammates for the days "Doubles Round". Chisa looked about the room to find everyone huddled together, making plans for both the tournament and the fairgrounds. It was exciting to watch everyone look so serious, and she wondered what sort of special talents each of them had. She was more than familiar to what teams RWBY and JNPR were capable of, except for Jaune who had yet to discover his. Chisa liked to believe that his semblance was still sleeping and need some time to really wake up. A quick scan of the room shown that they weren't present, and a few looks more told her that any familiar face was missing. It was to be expected, but she couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. Instead, she studied the other students around her; both Beacon's and the other kingdoms. The room exudes a particular energy that she felt during the tournament itself; each person thrumming with an excitement to prove themselves in combat. Everyone was ready for a fight, and it made Chisa herself excited and ready to go from a sense of solidarity. The only team she was worried about were—

"You'd tell me if something was going on between you two, wouldn't you?"

Ruby and her team.

"But I keep telling you, _Yang_ , that there's nothing in the first place! I was just as surprised as you all were!"

The young reaper looked between her teammates exasperatedly, trying to find someone other than her sister who would believe her. Weiss, sitting across the table, would look conflicted in the halfway stance of her opinion, knowing her partner would be more sensible than to be led around. But Ruby was still younger than the rest of them, and there is a possibility of the young girl misinterpreting it all in spite of her denial. Just because nothing was going on _now_ didn't remove the possibility of something happening later. It would be more than scandalous, but a crippling wedge that would no doubt drive their team apart beginning with the sisters. For now, Weiss resolved to keep a closer eye on her partner and leader if to avoid any more detrimental skirmishes between them all.

Blake released a sigh beside Ruby, unsure as to _**why**_ Sibyll would leave with that sort of a send off after clearing his own name of suspicion. Could he even remember the sentiment behind the gesture? The lingering memories of the woman she couldn't recognize had to be important somehow to him. From what she gathered, Blake believed the woman was a familial to some extent; her presence a clearly cemented anchor in all of his memories. Yet the raven haired girl was concerned with the message left to Ruby.

 _May my thoughts be your protection and guide._

Even now, Blake noticed that Ruby's hand would brush away the bangs from her eyes, but they would linger where Sibyll's forehead touched hers. Perhaps it was the young hunter's way of placing his trust in the girl, or to leave some aspect of himself as a figurative ward against potential danger. There was guidance in the sense that he could trust Ruby to make a sound decision; someone other than Blake to trust their convictions. Yang watched her sister as she sat next to Weiss, and saw how Ruby would pulled back her hand to busy them with other things, primarily with trying to finish the rest of her breakfast.

"Well I don't like that he's getting closer to you than he should," Yang remarked bitterly.

"You don't like _a lot of things_ these days," the younger sister bit back.

She winced as the words slipped past her lips, but it was the honesty that Ruby was trying to hold back for a while. Her eyes were met with crimson irises that were never directed at her, but she didn't know what else to do. As a sister and a leader, she would always put the interests and safety of her team first. But as a friend to both parties, her efforts to mediate was severely divided, and proved fruitless under the stress of wanting to do well in the Vytal Tournament. She was caught in a struggle between her team and Sibyll, trying to redeem one party to the other. Even her breakfast looked heavier than usual, as if to make fun of the litany of other concerns she had still to deal with. There were still the nightmares, the uncertainty about Sibyll, and now this spat with her sister? Deciding that she couldn't eat on an (emotionally) upset stomach, she pushed her plate away and dropped her head into her hands.

"That's enough you two," Weiss intervened. "Instead of arguing further, we _should_ be focusing on preparing for today's challenge. Any bit of advice and observation you have from the other battles would surely help Yang and I immensely."

It was an attempt to try and move away from the tension at the table, and even her gaze took careful note of Chisa's growing discomfort. Blue ears flickered nervously while eyes switched back between the sisters. The heiress would shift a good portion of that to something productive, or at least look the part. Anything would work as long as it got them back on track to securing a position for the finals, and possible winning the tournament itself.

"Ruby's right though."

A hand reached up to massage at the frustration behind the words Blake spoke. The young reaper peeked up as Yang looked to Blake with the same scowl she had given her sister.

"Before you think of accusing me for it, I'm referring to nothing going on between them. His 'gratitude' was something someone did for him when he was younger."

"You know that from his memories I presume?" Weiss clarified. Blake nodded in confirmation.

"They still appear every now and then," she answered while pointing nonchalantly at her temple. "But you don't have to blow it out of proportion Yang. Ruby will be fine, and you can calm down."

"Tch." The brawler crossed her arms and stared off angrily into another direction. It was easy for them to believe things were _okay_ for now, but she couldn't leave it alone. Everything she had done was to protect her team and her family, even if it meant being the "bad guy" while doing so. She couldn't trust the faculty to make sound decision after they had allowed him to stay, even after Ozpin and her uncle were attacked. She knew at least that Goodwitch shared in her disagreements, but wasn't able to do anything when Blake was handed over to Sibyll. Oh, the professor tried to convince their headmaster, but heeded his decision anyways. The only other person trying was the General of a different academy, but it still wasn't enough.

She couldn't trust Ruby to believe her own convictions, even when she once confessed to no longer trusting him. Yang saw the way her sister looked at the young hunter. What sort of sibling would she be to not notice that sense of longing? She knew Ruby's efforts to prove against all odds that Sibyll was someone capable of being trusted in spite of their doubt. She was kindhearted in that sense to believe in the good of people, but it left her too vulnerable; too open to being hurt. It was Yang's job to see to it that no one would take advantage of that. It would be worth the detentions or the looks from her team if it meant everyone was safe.

Blake sighed, pushing aside her own plate as she stood from the table.

"Seeing as you're being stubborn about this, I might as well broach the topic now instead of later."

Coming around the table, she hooked an arm underneath her partner and pulled the blonde along with her out of the dining hall. There was some resistance and words of protests, which earned a few glances from a few nearby students, but the pair disappeared out of sight. Weiss, Ruby, and Chisa could only watch them before the heiress gave her own partner a curious look.

"Yeah…" Ruby responded sheepishly. "We promised to talk to Yang about how she's being lately."

"Promised _who_?"

Chisa raised her hand slowly, bowing her head slightly as to not look at Weiss directly. The young reaper ran a hand through the girl's hair, comforting her while gently guiding her hand down.

"She's worried about all of us," the young reaper confessed. "The night we came back from that outing, she asked Blake and me to unlock her aura so she can help Sibyll in our place."

"Because of the arguments," Weiss surmised.

"And she thought it was best, you know?"

They sat quietly, allowing the heiress to consider her actions in the past few days that would have inadvertently added to the young girl's concerns. Like Yang, she wasn't readily quick to trust Sibyll, but it was out of a sense of suspicion from what was seen firsthand. The night Addersfield had been attack was something neither Beacon nor her private tutors could prepare her for. All the lectures and spars, the forms of combat which now felt natural to her, did not protect her from the terror that swarmed the wall's base. Writhing dark bodies pushed and weaved into one another while beady crimson eyes looked up at her. They were close enough where a missed step would be the end of it. Even when the fires conducted from her rapier warded them away, Weiss knew her resolve had been shaken that night.

The foundation of her confidence and her assuredness as a Huntress in training was challenged and overturned by a single person.

The very same person saved her reckless partner, brought about the attention of Beacon's staff, saved and condemned a town by his presence, and forced her to stay at the table with a man whose hands spilled the blood of family and friends. Never had she wished to have Myrtenaster pierce the heart of the monster who spearheads a war against her family. Throughout that dinner she watched Adam Taurus from across the table, and the faces of the deceased lingered in her thoughts. Avenging them could have been easy. His shackled hands made the thought enticing, yet it made her question as to what would Winter have done if she had been there. Would she too contemplate fulfilling something as selfish and petty as vengeance, albeit it justified? Or would her sister hold the man up to the letter of the law in spite of their shared sentiments of hatred and pain?

In the middle of it all, Sibyll continued to be unaffected by who his ties were and how dangerously he treaded upon others because of it.

He dined with a murderer as if it were the natural thing to do while brushing off the concerns and suspicions of her team, peers, and mentors. Weiss refused to believe that the man was ignorant of such things, which only further supported her distrust in him. He had _chosen_ to align himself with the Beast, and when Ruby broke the news of such it came as no surprise to the heiress. His decision to stay was only rooted in his "obligation" to try and save Blake's life at Ruby's request or provide for the girl that was now under his care; a decision made on a whim she could only assume. Even during the outing in which she had invited him to join them was more so placate the hunter while keeping an eye on him. Any information she could gather would be enough to give them the edge if or when he turns against them.

But unlike Yang, Weiss would oppose him subtly. Concerns like Chisa's or the disagreement of her team would not only set her apart, but draw the attention of Sibyll himself. It would put her at odds with everyone else; even if she truly believed the brawler was in the right. The only way she could keep the man close, and the Bloody Beast closer, is to play "nice" for the moment; wear the appropriate expression and provide a similar response.

Even if the honesty in Chisa's eye, the despondent expression in wanting to help both sides, hurt Weiss the most, she wouldn't be able to forget the pain and loss she experienced so easily.

"I wish to apologize Chisa," she spoke. "We didn't mean for you to feel that way, and that shouldn't be the case. You shouldn't think that you have to work at this problem by yourself, even with the best of intentions."

The young girl looked up to her and gave a small smile, encouraging the pang of guilt in Weiss' thoughts.

"I just didn't want to everyone to be mad anymore."

"For a time we were, but to let that rule over our judgment is careless. Even if we don't agree with Sibyll on certain— _things_ —it can't be the only thing to focus on right now. I promise to look over our behavior."

Chisa nods, believing in the heiress' words as her attention returned to picking at her meal and looking about the room. Ruby looked to Weiss and shared a similar look of trust, and a slight tinge of remorse which caught the heiress' attention. The younger partner's expressions were always an easy read, let alone how terrible her composure was in games of cards and deceit.

"Is something on your mind too Ruby?"

She exhales an awkward chuckle, folding her hands together nervously.

"I guess I owe you an apology too?"

"For?"

"A lot of things. Like when 'it' all happened."

Weiss thought for what the younger partner implied. Perhaps Ruby was referring to when their lives became too involved with Sibyll's, when she failed to convince him to surrender peacefully, or when she continues to try and absolve him of things she was still too young to know.

"And I guess it doesn't help that people might think weird things when I tried to stop our family from fighting each other…"

And then there was that.

Weiss pushed aside her empty plate and focused her gaze on her partner, serious but not to the extent of reprimand she was used to if Ruby ever slacked.

"Misunderstandings aside, there are things that even _I_ struggle to accept. Not that it is entirely your fault, but there are limitations to what everyone is capable of tolerating."

She gestures to Chisa who shrinks back slightly.

"Even someone younger than us, who understands only a little bit about our current predicament, felt that strain and acted accordingly. I'm not saying that I'm establishing sides between the team and our _acquaintance_ , but remember that everyone may not always agree with you. Or that if they do, know that they are placing a lot of trust in you; a trust that can be hard to earn back if broken."

Weiss reached a hand across the table, and placed it over Ruby's; she squeezed firmly to cement her message in the contact. The heiress didn't believe that they would ever function as a pair after their first few weeks, but Ruby had made the effort to earn her respect. Weiss only deemed it fair to place an investment of trust in her leader which paid itself twofold. Now she could only hope that Ruby would do the same now, and invest some of her stalwart trust back to their team than to only one person. The young girl nodded and accepted the brevity of such words, even if it hurt to receive them.

"But consider things between us okay, if you're still worried about it."

She was halfhearted in her forgiveness; only going so far as to forgive her partner, but never the man she associated with. Ruby beamed at the older girl, squeezing the hand back with more enthusiasm than earlier.

"That's why you're a cool friend Weiss."

She nodded in confirmation, and deemed the appraisal of "cool" as satis…factory…

"Ruby."

"Yes?"

"Please tell me you're not doing that on purpose."

"Doing what on purpose?"

Weiss studied her partner further, careful to pick out any expression that held the slightest twinge of deception. It was one thing to allow Yang and her occasional stream of puns, but the heiress would not permit both sisters to partake in that poorest form of word play. Even when Ruby's confused expression cleared her of such charges, she would remain careful not to allow those practices with her own partner.

"Do you think that your sister will be okay?" Ruby continued.

"Winter?" Weiss puzzled at the thought and the sudden mention of her sister. "Okay with what exactly?"

"Well, she and my uncle _did_ get into a fight on school grounds." the reaper clarified tentatively. "And I didn't exactly help out our situation much either…"

Ruby had a point, and it was one that Weiss had forgotten to consider since Winter's arrival. She was used to her sister leaving promptly when work demanded of it, and assumed that her extended presence at Beacon must have something to do with the tournament's security. Aside from that, they didn't have a moment to talk let alone share a brief exchange of pleasantries. It still puzzled Weiss as to why such a fight occurred at all, but they haven't spoken since.

"I'm sure that with the misunderstanding cleared up, Winter will have no reason to be suspicious of anything here at Beacon."

"But she looks kinda scary, right?" Chisa asked, her eyes focused on the thought while looking off into the dining hall.

Ruby and Weiss turned to girl, surprised that she would describe them that way.

"My sister can be _intimidating_ upon introductions, but I'm sure she isn't as terrifying as you believe."

Sure there were times where Winter's seriousness can be mistaken for aloofness or disregard, but Weiss liked to believe that not many knew her like she and mother did. Who else could she hide between in those movies that were too terrifying at such a young age?

"And Ruby's uncle isn't really mean, even though he doesn't look like a nice person?"

Chisa looked back between the girls, hoping that their words were truthful and reassuring. Ruby, still caught in their surprise, waved away the notion of Qrow being as mean as he appeared. He was practically their second dad even when his work took him all over the world, or kept him busy at Signal. If there was ever an occasion that demanded his presence—holiday, birthday, or otherwise—she and Yang could count of their uncle to be there.

"He can be grumpy about some stuff, but I promise he's nice," Ruby answered. "Not many people stick around to get know him much."

"But our real concerns are why you would think such things?" Weiss asked. "Did you see their fight as well?"

Chisa shook her head, but instead pointed to the windows of the dining hall. Both girls looked and found the two in question passing by toward the double doors, their tension equal to their looks of indifference to one another. They followed them as the pushed by the doors, and gathered the attention of a few teams; a trail of hushed voices left in their path. Neither of them spoke a word, but Ruby and Weiss knew by their posture that the strife between them remained kindled. Winter approached in a suitable and proper form; her back straight, head held high, steps evened, and hands held together behind her back. Qrow's gait on the other hand was slouched, hands tucked in his pockets while his body swayed with each step. All the while Zwei ran circles around them, barking and yipping in enthusiasm while strangely not hindering their walk. When they rounded the tabled aisle to the three girls, both Hunters made a noticeable split; Qrow to Ruby and Winter to Weiss with Zwei at the Schnee's heel.

"Winter!"

Weiss stood up from the table, dusting off anything unnecessary before greeting her sister in the proper form. The older woman's eyes passed over her, and nodded in acceptance over the presentation; ignoring the dismissive sniff of the man across the table.

"You've been busy with work I assume?" the heiress asked.

"Quite busy, considering that Vale's security is rather… lackluster."

It surprised Winter just how lax the kingdom of Vale was in terms of its own security, depending too heavily on the service of Huntsmen and Huntresses instead of a uniformed sanction. Compared to Atlas, she didn't understand how everyone in this part of the continent survived as long as they had given their technological advancement. It explains why the General had spent a fair amount of time speaking with Vale's council as both Atlas' military and kingdom representative. Should the Council decide to accept, both kingdoms would benefit greatly as far as providing Vale with security it needs land, air, and seaborne while Atlas earned a fair portion of profit in manufacturing and funding. The only person who stood in the way of such an agreement was Ozpin whose reputation, by Winter's account, was appropriately renowned. Whatever methods he had, it was enough to keep the Council from finalizing their decision. But given the moment of the tournament to prove Atlas' technological dependency, she wouldn't expect them to deny it further.

"Still," she continued, "the General has been kind enough to extend my stay and apply my skill in ensuring the tournament goes uninterrupted."

"Nice to know Jimmy's ' _generous_ ' like that," Qrowsnarked in response. While Winter decided not to give a response to the provocation, Weiss looked over slightly to see her partner elbow her uncle's side. Ruby smiled back reassuringly, hoping to prove to her that she could at least keep her uncle in line if the man listened to anyone.

"I am pleased to hear of your extended stay," Weiss pushed forth. "Perhaps I can show you around Vale. There are some wonderful places that may pique your interests, and I know a particular shop where—"

"Another time."

The words were sharp, resolute, and familiar though they did not bear the sting Weiss felt her partner felt the need to receive on her behalf. Instead the heiress nodded in agreement, allowing her sister to put forth a separate activity entirely.

"I would instead prefer to speak with you in private," Winter stated, "and learn about your time here at Beacon. How have you acclimated? Are you eating well? Questions of that nature are what I'm curious about."

"Of course, whenever you are ready."

Woof!

Both sisters stood there in silence watching each other carefully as Zwei ran about at their feet; occasionally shifting his attention from one to the other. While the corgi continued his endeavor to gain attention and affection, Qrow watched on in amusement to see how long Winter would last before the cracks showed in her composure. Considering the slight frown he noticed at the downward curl of her lips, it wouldn't be much longer.

"Qrow, if you would _please_ detain your mutt from harassing us further. I would not wish some misfortune befall it should you decide not to keep it in line."

"Can't really help you there," Qrow answered smugly. He crossed his arms as he glanced over to Zwei who looked back for appraisal. With a slight nod, the corgi barked excitedly and returned to running around Winter and Weiss. The older Schnee narrowed her eyes at the man in disbelief as he grinned back.

"I'm not technically his owner, but I believe the little guy can endure whatever you got. Growing up with nieces like mine proves he's tough."

"I highly doubt that." Winter shifted her gaze to Ruby, waiting expectantly for the girl to issue the desired command of the dog.

"He isn't as bad as you think," Weiss answered in her partner's stead. "Zwei's a sweetheart if you give him a chance."

She bent down slightly, and while the older sister assumed the corgi would unleash a flurry of slobbery licks he refrained. Zwei sat before her, watching patiently as an open hand was placed before him. He put his paw upon it, and "shook" the hand as properly and cordially as a dog could. When Weiss stood up, he too stood on his hind legs while keeping the forearms tucked against chest. At the twirl of her hand, Zwei spun around in the same direction, and lowered his head when she curtsied at him. It was Ruby and Qrow's turn to be surprised, having known the list of tricks they taught him. When Zwei was dismissed to join the other two, Qrow looked at the dog with a clear frown; a frown that the corgi responded with another hearty bark.

"It appears I was wrong in my assessment," Winter answered and returned a similar smirk to the Huntsman. "He appears to have more class than you, and even cleans up better. How appropriately unbecoming of you, Branwen."

"Yeah, well let's see what'll be 'unbecoming' about that grin when I—"

"Excuse me?"

Attention snapped toward the voice and found Chisa shrinking back quickly within the safety of Ruby's side. Tucked away inside the folds of the cloak, she flinched as both pair of eyes studied her curiously; surprised to have not noticed the girl in question until she spoke. Still, the youngest girl kept a steady, but wary gaze on the older Schnee as familiar light blue eyes studied her. When they looked up to the cat-like ears on her head, Chisa instinctively flattened them as close as she could; hoping that Ruby's cloak would hide them as well.

"Please don't fight," she pleaded. "We shouldn't be bothering the others."

Winter's attention lingered on for a moment before glancing about the room. Students who recognized them murmured among themselves, critically judging not only Qrow but herself as well. Their father would be displeased to hear about the slip of her composure, but for the moment other concerns filled her mind.

"The young girl has a point Qrow. There's no need to have it out with our current company."

"Tch, it's not like I have time for it anyways." He turned to his niece. "We need to catch up on a few things since I've been busy, specifically about a certain friend of yours."

"Oh come on!" Ruby spun around to face him, and the older Huntsman blanched slightly at furious expression he was met with. There were times when such a look wouldn't have moved him, but that was years ago when she was still a manageable kid at best. The furrowed brows, defiantly pursed lips, and silver eyes that narrowed as she glared back were juvenile in its execution. Still, it reminded him of how much she's grown and how close she was starting to look like Summer.

"I don't think I'm brave enough to lie to my _headmaster_. You know? The only person who has like, oh I don't know, my future as a Huntress in his hands!"

"Easy there kiddo, I didn't mean—"

"Just…don't. Okay? Things haven't been easy for us lately, and I just want things to try to feel normal for a while. Is that too much to ask?"

It was all that she wanted recently, even if she knew that it was almost impossible with how things were becoming. Everything before Sibyll's arrival seemed so long ago, but even so she wished that terms between them were different. She loved Chisa like her own little sister, but hated the feeling of having to push their problems that close to home. She wished that whatever has Yang so angry and irritable would just go away, and that her _sister_ came back to her. Never had she seen her so willing to be at odds with everyone in order to protect them. Ruby knew that Yang meant well, but she's being so… difficult. She also worried about Blake and her "change" that still carried some "side effects". She appeared to be coping well, and they did keep their word to help her adjust to this strange situation. Yet Ruby worried that Blake still had some ways to go before the word "okay" could describe what her friend really felt. Those first few days were struggle for Blake who had been so used to her Faunus heritage and the traits it came with. There were a few nights were everyone had been startled awake from her waking up in the dark; unused to being without night vision. Or if it wasn't Ruby waking everyone with her nightmares, then it was Blake would talk in her sleep.

Everything between that and the misunderstanding with her and Sibyll had made her tired; tired of the confusion between her ties with the man who was their sorta-ally-maybe? He warned her not to trust him so easily, but then everything he had done was to protect them. Even when begging for Blake's life, the reluctance that once horrified her was turned into a grim realization of what lay in store for everyone. If Blake ever turned, then Sibyll wasn't able to stop them from the eventual grief of losing Blake twice. But in all of the incidents that occurred around him, he never willing lashed out unless provoked to do so. Ruby felt as if he was restraining himself from the potential danger he could actually be. Why else take care of Chisa when other people were just as capable? Why would he put up with all of the suspicion, the hostility, if he wasn't genuine? If he wasn't on their side, then why protect them at all?

More and more questions, and Ruby felt she was still far from the truth she wanted to so desperately have. Maybe it was a truth that would help mend the ties that were beginning to fray.

"You're right," Qrow placed a firm hand atop her head. Ruby squirmed beneath it, but he leant down to return her indignant glare with a softer look. "And that'll be something we can go over in our talks. _He_ isn't the one I wanted to talk to you about though, but a friend of yours on a different team."

His words caught their attention, and any remaining tension gave way to curiosity. As Ruby and Weiss tried to sort out who the person in question could be, Winter watched him carefully and guardedly. Whether it was or not it was Ozpin's doing, she knew that it wasn't without a specific purpose. Even if Qrow was a crass drunkard, she knew the man was crafty by reputation alone. It was hard to discern the power play of being so open in front of her given his distrust to any Atlesian officer. When he glanced her direction, Winter simply averted her attention back to Weiss as Qrow stood back up.

"Let's get moving huh? The sooner we deal with it, the faster I can get out of your hair."

Ruby made to move, but felt a presence still tucked at her side. She looked back to Chisa, forgetting for a moment she was with them, and quickly scanned the room to find JNPR some ways away. It was possible that Jaune and his team could look after her, and they wouldn't mind it, but Ruby didn't want the young girl to feel like a burden. It was starting to show in small ways, and the uneasy feeling only deepened when Chisa began to slowly let go.

"If it's okay, she'll be coming with us too. I promised to look after her."

"I'm not sure about that Ruby," the older hunter spoke. "Wouldn't want her to overhear and get scared over a misunderstanding on her part. Kids her age scare easy."

"That's not true!" Chisa stepped away from the young reaper and climbed over the bench to stand before Qrow. Blue cat ears were raised on end as her posture was ramrod straight, her small shoulders squared off as she looked up into the bemused hunter. "And you shouldn't say mean things about people you don't know."

"Is that so?" He crouched down to her level, arms rested down on his knees to keep balance, and looked the girl over. "You've got guts kid, being able to call it like you see it. Not many squirts your size can do what you do. But just like you, I called it like I see 'em."

His hand lashed out, fingers splayed apart before her face in an attempt to scare her off her footing. It was a simple trick he used on his students back at Signal when they started to get too big in the head. Most of them flinched back, and others walked away with bruised foreheads. No one could be ready for something to spring up at them unless they spent time outside the walls. He expected the kid in front of him now to reel back in surprise, to stumble a little from his little jump scare.

Chisa didn't even blink, and looked back to the man in confusion. Qrow looked between her and his hand, and continued to make quick and sharp motions with his fingers. She only looked back to Ruby and Weiss, unfazed by such an action.

"Well I'll be damned," he chuckled. "You're the real deal huh?"

He reached out to ruffle her hair, even when the girl squirmed under his touch and she shoved it away.

"What's your name scrapper?"

"Chisa Cavell...sir."

"Sir?" At that, Qrow roared with laughter. He stood up slightly, hands on his knees as he brought himself under control. "Oh man, I can get used to that. I guess that's why old Ironwood made it to general."

Chisa frowned at the man, arms crossed when he pointed back at her.

"And there's the pout I'm looking for. Just like Yang when she was tike at your age."

"Are you finished insulting the girl Qrow?" Winter interjected.

"I'm not ' _insulting'_ her. And here I thought an older sister like yourself would know what a bit of teasing would look like." He smiles back at Chisa. "Girl's got a bite that you just have to respect. But before that, how do you know my nieces?"

"We're friends," she answered matter-of-factly. Her chin rose a little higher, and Weiss could only smirk proudly at the girl's display of restrained haughtiness. Ruby placed a reassuring hand on Chisa's shoulder, and leant down to soothe the small hostilities. She relaxed more against the older girl's touch, but those small arms had yet to unfold themselves.

"Geez Oz, I was kidding about that daycare joke…" he muttered to himself. "And when did that become a thing?"

The change in her mood was small, almost indiscernible to someone who wasn't looking carefully. Her small arms folded tighter against her chest, and she stepped further back against Ruby so that the older girl's arms draped protectively over her.

"Her and everyone else came to help my town," she answered reluctantly.

Nothing more was said and nothing more was asked.

Both Qrow and Winter assumed she meant the town from the files they've about; the incident of Addersfield. Grimm incursions against outlier towns were daily risks, but it always left a sour taste for them and their peers when a town ceased to exist. Addersfield would have been considered a fortunate case. "Would have" if the Ozpin, Ironwood, and the Council hadn't taken great pains to compensate the grieving with a permanent increase security and additional resources. They hoped that the leaders of that town would keep the whole incident quiet until they could investigate it thoroughly, and provide an acceptable answer to explain why what happened ever occurred. Even then, the rumors continued to spread either from hearsay or otherwise. The casualties were too high and resentment was to be expected to some degree.

"They've been really nice to me."

"I see." Winter looked over the girl once more. Her initial thoughts about the girl came with a degree of caution given the girl's Faunus traits. Chisa's polite mannerisms and etiquette showed no deception or having ill intent, despite how dreadful the notion was. Winter wasn't a fool like her father to suspect people merely by their faunus birth, but the rising tension between her family and the White Fang kept her necessarily wary. If anything, she was surprised how polite and well-groomed a girl her age could be coming from outside Vale's borders. She did not anticipate for such a girl to have a degree of class; even if Qrow had teased her to get a small rise out of her.

"It gladdens me to hear that my sister had a hand in providing aid and comfort when needed. I expect nothing less of her."

Chisa nodded in agreement, even if it surprised her with how strict sounding Weiss' sister seemed. In all the times the heiress spoke about Winter, she felt there was a warmness to the memories; a familial fondness between siblings.

"But surely your family must be concerned about your absence if you all decided to stay in Vale." Winter looked about the room, searching for Chisa's parental like figures.

"Are they close by?"

"It's just me."

A moment of silence passed for the older Hunters to register the simple response. Winter and Qrow assumed that she was one of the lucky ones; an assumption that believed the girl's previous lightheartedness spoke of fortunate circumstances. They believed that hardly anyone from that town would hardly wish to stay at Beacon any further, or that Chisa had family who thought it best to work away those memories with something else. And for Chisa, it had been a while since she thought about her dad. In a small way she felt guilty about it. The sadness was still there, but she had been so busy with her lessons and looking after Sibyll that it slipped past her. Conflicted thoughts contradicted itself in feelings she couldn't express. Qrow and Winter looked to their respective kin, and both Ruby and Weiss nodded solemnly.

"I'm sorry to hear that kid," Qrow spoke softly. His expression became somber, and ran a hand through his hair.

"It's fine." Chisa unfolded her arms to hold on to Ruby. "Sibyll looks after me now, and it's not as lonely anymore."

"Hmm, you don't say." Winter noticed him rubbing at his shoulder. What interested her even further was the mention of this dubious character and his ties to the girl. It wasn't in any of the reports she read, and suspicion regarding him only grew.

"He'll be back soon though," Chisa continued. "That's why Ruby's looking after me."

"And I won't keep her from you for too long. So how about we make a deal?" Qrow leant down slightly so he wouldn't tower over her as much. "Give me an hour or two with my niece to talk about some official Huntsmen business. In the meantime, can you to look after Zwei?"

At the mention of his name, the corgi bounded underneath the table and sat between Chisa and Qrow; looking between the two happily and patiently.

"He's been cooped up with me for too long, and seeing as Ruby's team is busy I'm gonna need to count on you to watch him."

"I never looked after a pet before," she answered sheepishly.

"That's fine. He doesn't need much in the way of care, but a set of eyes on him would be helpful." Qrow searched his pockets and pulled out a few lien. "Fifteen for your trouble. So how about it kid?"

Chisa looked up to Weiss and Ruby; the former shrugged her shoulders and the latter nodded encouragingly. The job was easy and it wouldn't take long for her to do. She was hesitant though, and was used to having someone looking after her. Whenever Sibyll left their home to deal with the surrounding Grimm, it was never for long. But maybe this was a chance to prove herself as someone who can look after herself when she needed to. She felt bad having to make Weiss and Ruby hesitate when their family wanted to talk with them. A final thought crossed her mind.

"Thirty."

"Huh?" Qrow voiced everyone's confusion at sudden exchange.

"Nora says that earning money should always be enough for you and someone you care about. If I get thirty, then Sibyll and I have get fair shares. She calls it a 'vestment' for the future. "

"The proper word is an 'investment' dear," Weiss corrected.

"Mhmm. Investment."

She held out her hand expectantly.

The older hunter shot a look at Ruby as if to wonder if the girl was serious. Ruby in turn simply nodded to the girl in front of her, implying that Qrow should agree to the relatively low terms. He squirmed a bit beneath the uncomfortably smug gaze Winter sent his wear as she folded her arms together; impressed that someone decades younger outwitted him. What made the feeling worse was when Winter actually smiled at him.

"You heard the young lady's offer Qrow. Or do you not care to help nurture a prospective future?"

 _"Enjoy it now while you still can,"_ he grumbled in his thoughts. "Sure."

He pulled out additional lien and placed it into Chisa's hand. Her counting it in front everyone appeared to fuel the sly look on Winter's face to a point he had to step away.

"Alright then, we better get going." Anything to remove the small taste of defeat in his mouth would help. The further away from Winter Schnee, the better for him.

"Yes uncle Qrow." Ruby turned to Chisa and placed her hands on the girl's shoulders. "We won't be long okay. Make sure your scroll is on and hold on to it. If anything happens, you find a student or an adult and call any of us immediately. Don't take anything from anyone unless you pay for it, and—"

"I'll be okay Ruby," Chisa reassured. "I can do this."

"I know you can, but just make sure to say safe. Don't wander off too much, and keep Zwei with you at all times. He's small, but he's tough. If something DOES happen, he'll make sure to protect you at all cost."

Woof!

The corgi in question barked again at the mention of his name; his tongue lolled to the side from his happy grin. Chisa wasn't sure if Ruby was saying that to make her feel extra safe. Zwei was so small and little, like her, and she couldn't see how something like that was possible. Ruby is also the smallest of everyone at Beacon, but she's also strong and capable. Chisa looked back into the dog's dark eyes, wondering what he was actually capable of. As if sensing her dilemma, Zwei tilted his head to the side before taking off to run circles around Qrow. She watched how the older man watched the corgi for a few moments, excited yips and all, but it was the moment he took his eyes off of him that Zwei struck.

"Come on boy, that's enough—gah!"

Legs crumpled beneath him after the corgi tackled the back of his knees, and sent Qrow down to the floor. The sounds of restrained and censored complaints could be heard as Zwei climbed triumphantly onto the man's chest and sat down.

"Don't even say it Schnee…" he groaned.

"Is there anything to be said Qrow?" Winter chuckled behind her hand.

"Come on you mutt, time to get off."

Zwei remained rooted in his spot.

"Ruby…"

"Go on Zwei! Time to go."

He chuffed happily, but made no motion to leave. Instead, he looked back to Chisa.

"I guess I'm in your care then mister Zwei?"

At that, the corgi hopped of the huntsman's chest and took point in their departure. She gave everyone a final look, extended her farewells to them; a proper bow to Winter with her ears tucked back, and a brief, hesitant wave at Qrow before disappearing to the outside grounds. Qrow helped himself up and dusted off both debris and embarrassment that clung on. Ruby's snickering beside him was silenced the moment his knuckles ground on both sides of her head. There was a small exchange of empty threats and playful reminders of authority (or to Qrow's chagrin, "seniority") before he sent one last annoyed look at Winter. He'd let her soak in her glory now before find another opportunity to get back at her. He still has the Branwen charm and wit; all he need was the timing. The best he could do now was grin and bear it as he steered Ruby with him out toward the school grounds.

"You've surrounded yourself with… interesting company," Winter coolly noted as she watched them off. "Your partner and leader in particular seem to have _some_ wit about her. If I'm to understand it correctly, she was his only combat apprentice."

"It's true," Weiss confirmed. "She did say that her weapon's design was loosely based on her uncle's."

"And it also explains why she's as reckless and tactless as Qrow. I'm still unclear as to why your headmaster thought it best to choose someone as young and unprepared as her."

"I admit she can be childish," Weiss reluctantly agreed, "but she's proven herself to be someone to count on when the moment calls for it. She cares about us and what we think."

"A leader who constantly confers with her team does not always inspire confidence."

"Winter—"

"I do not mean it in ill will sister," the older Schnee corrected. "It is admirable that she places great trust in you all, and that such faith in her team only reflects the potential of your collective capability."

Winter began to make her own exit as Weiss followed closely after.

"Yet do not forget who also surrounds you Weiss. The public is just as vicious and unforgiving as the Grimm beyond these borders, and if given the chance they will target you through her. Your leader must be decisive and commit to her convictions. If she falters, her failures are yours as well."

The sudden harshness of her sister's words bristled uncomfortably against Weiss' thoughts. It wasn't for lack of reason as the public had a tenacious habit of assuming the worst. Had her sister come to visit her earlier in the year, Weiss would have agreed. Ruby was unbearable as a partner who lacked discipline in many areas. When everything was riding on the family name, her chance to establish her own reputation, here comes this _child_ to ruin everything. But that was then, and this is now. They had grown on each other, tolerated the flaws, and helped improve their strengths as a whole in small, almost insignificant ways. Weiss loved Winter, their mother, but somehow team RWBY made her feel at home with a "family". Her father and brother, Whitley, had always done something in her eyes to prevent her faith in their being a family. In name and the public, everything was as should be: "perfect." But she could never laugh openly and honestly in their presence without scrutiny or reprimand. She could never falter once lest the shame of failure set heavily on her mind. How Winter could have withstood such a burden, yet decide to leave and become a soldier of Atlas was beyond Weiss.

Or not as much as she believed.

With her upbringing, Weiss had no experience what life was like without excessive wealth. She never once mingled with those her father calls the common wealth, nor did she have knowledge what normal people did between study and training. It was only when Ruby had convinced her to slow down, to spend time with them that things began to change. And she had certainly failed on a few occasions; floundering when she had made some faux pas. The worst she would undergo are few moments of ribbing or teasing. They didn't demand for her to excel in everything, but only that she try her best. That was all they ever asked of her: to just try her best. And it was freeing that she could be allowed to fail and have someone support her in those losses. So it came to reason that she would feel troubled at thought of someone questioning her team.

"Is that a warning for her? Or for me?"

"I'm simply reminding you that people hold Huntsmen and Huntresses to a different standard," Winter tiredly explained. "You would think that after centuries of fighting, both Grimm and ourselves, that future generations would be grateful of our efforts. Regrettably, that isn't the case. Fear and lack of understanding will always give way to hastily made blame. They will criticize and condemn the lives who protect them, and that goes double for people like us Weiss."

For a brief of a moment, the heiress saw a sliver of composure break in her sister's eyes. This was a woman she'd admired so greatly, who could do no wrong, and yet there was weariness hinting at a different life. The impeccable façade must have held back the stress and responsibility of someone expected to never lose face. Whatever was sacrificed, whatever was suffered, and neither she nor anyone else in her family had known. Weiss wilted at the thought, and recalled the skirmish between her sister and Ruby's uncle. It was uncalled for both of them to act out in such a manner, and she did not know how uncouth the man could be. But for her sister to lose self-control that much must have meant more than Winter would dare to share.

"So be your leader's consul," Winter spoke up once more. "You have been graced with opportunities that none of your friends have, and that alone may give insight they may need. If you depend on each other like you greatly profess, then be sure to be the voice of reason when necessary. Even if that means you have to be the point of their ire."

" _Yang…"_ the heiress remembered specifically. She would need to speak with her as well, if only to reach out before their team frayed further. "Of course Winter."

"Now, there is much to discuss and catch up on. News about this connection between Sibyll and… his 'friend' can wait. I do not want to sour the time we have with such seriousness. I want to know more about how you've been doing dear sister."

They walked beside each other, both keeping pace as the passed by students and visitors alike. Weiss glanced at Winter, and squared off her shoulders proudly like her. How long ago was it that she had been chasing after her? When was the last time she felt that her sister was almost out of reach? Now though, she walked together with her at her side; like an equal.

"I would like that very much." She let out a small smile.

"Good, because something in particular has come to my attention."

"Hmm?"

"Tell me Weiss," as Winter turned to smile back at her. It was a smile that outshone hers, destroying it completely, as it carried a sharp tinge to them. The eyes narrowed slyly, and a chill surged down Weiss' back. When did her sister ever have such a dangerous glint in her eye?

"Who is this blue haired paramour? Perhaps a brief introduction is in order?"

* * *

Ozpin read over the files he had copied from Sibyll's book once more.

It became a habit of looking over every detail, every transcribed image, between maintaining his school and the festival. Even when the words were legible and told of first hand events, they remained a complex mystery that was beyond normal comprehension. That was why the headmaster poured over each page carefully, trying as carefully as he could to remain as objective or subjective as necessary. Evidence of something larger continued to pile up, and he could no longer disregard the warning given by Sibyll. Even with the skepticism he faced from his deputy and peers, elements of the danger were beginning to match.

He brought up the test results of Sibyll's first arrival, and compared it with the other samples again. Again, he watched how the young hunter's blood cells acted erratically during the transfusion. It looked to be rejecting the new blood as the cells began to attack them swiftly. But upon closer inspection, Ozpin found that the hunter's blood was absorbing them at a rapid pace like some form of assimilation. It was only when nothing left of the transfusion did his blood cells come to a calm. When looking over Blake's results, the effects were the same. The same, however, could not be said for the samples Sibyll had brought back. They were vastly different in that the samples mutated rapidly instead of absorbing transfused blood into already existing cells. It didn't make sense how such a difference could be, or how fast mutation could happen on such a level.

The young hunter claimed that his blood once carried some form of strain that affects the blood. But what sort of disease or illness would actively help the body mend or regenerate? Was it a parasite perhaps? It couldn't possibly be the case as further medical investigation showed his body lacking anything of that sort. Both doctors and nurses he asked to look into to the matter found that his blood and the lack of aura were the only anomalies. If they weren't as skeptical about their findings, they would have said the man was in fine health; even if he was slightly underweight for his height. Ozpin returned his attention back to the blood, and wanted to rule out the notion of this Hunter's Dream mentioned constantly in Sibyll's notes.

An ethereal plane of existence where "Hunters" go to rest? Everything about its description appeared too fanciful, too unreal, yet Ozpin could not overlook one aspect about such a place. In the first of his entries, Sibyll recorded what he believed was a contract made to save his own life. Or as he believed it too be as even the man then could not recall any of the events before that. But what mostly stood out was how intricate the process the contract was; how invasive its questions were and how particularly they were phrased. Ozpin would have dismissed it were it not for the briefings he had down with team RWBY during Blake's incident. They and Oobleck have confirmed that whatever transpired to save the girl came at a cost, and the process was the detailed the same in the notebook.

The most shocking of truths was severe the price was paid for her survival. He had the medical staff do additional tests when the truth came to light, comparing her health records prior to her enrollment and after her change. For all intents and purposes, her blood was the same as Sibyll's. Yet it was a medical conundrum that she had undergone an entire genetic shift from a Faunus to that a human. He speculated her Faunus origins had some sort of hand in the change, even if the science couldn't wholly explain it. The young hunter's warnings about the change the White Fang were steadily undergoing proved that notion, yet Blake transitioned over completely. Why or how do the Faunus of the White Fang differ so greatly? The answer surely lies in the blood, but nothing in their records or the other kingdoms can explain it. Even Sibyll's notes were painfully guarded in his observations and recollections.

So it came to be that the only "logical" conclusion is that Sibyll, however the means, came to Remnant from somewhere else. There have been no records suggesting anything like what has happened in his school since the young hunter's appearance. Ozpin still has yet to go over the information Oobleck had pulled up for him from their library's archives. All of it vague in the belief of superstition, yet it was knowledge better than none.

He removed his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes.

There was still so much to do, so much investigate, yet the time available for them to prepare grew smaller with every moment. He could not guarantee the safety of his student's and Vale's citizens without the necessary information. Should they fail, it was not only the Council who would come bearing down on them but the public as well. Ozpin tapped a few commands on his console, removing excess information, and left only the copied entries hovering before him. There was only once piece of evidence that remained just as mysterious.

Some of Sibyll's pages descend into some unintelligible ramble or cipher. They were like a child's scrawl, no, a fervent man's scratching that were done in some haste. No discernible words could be made out, and in their place were symbols. Some spiraled or shot out into jagged forms, others looked to be enclosing on another symbol or elevating it. It was hard to say what the intent was, but maybe Ozpin didn't have the proper understanding required for such strangeness. He had tried to cross reference existing runes or symbols from across Remnant, but nothing was consistent. The moments of recorded lucidity did mention names and organizations not found in any database, but they were regarded divisively: some warmer than others.

Gehrman the Old Hunter

Eileen the Crow

Djura the Retired

Alfred the Executioner

The history of these hunters was limited, but the reveal about their many workshops were interesting. Their similarities to the academies in the kingdoms provided insight to Sibyll's skill as a Hunter. Ozpin continued to study what he could, even when he heard the sound of someone stepping into the room.

"Headmaster."

"Raven." He greeted without looking away. "Perhaps you can shed some light on the situation, considering this is your field of expertise."

She made her way to sit down in one of the seats before him, helmet tucked at the side. After she adjusted her weapon to remain at the chair's side, and she looked up at the holographic images with a stern gaze.

"With all due respect, _sir_ , I feel your judgment is questionable."

He spared the woman a glance, surprised that she hardly aged since the time she was a student. Oh the scowl and seriousness stayed the same, but he would believe that her time as a Huntress sharpened it. His thoughts wandered to rest of her team, and sighed. Team STRQ was one of the best and brightest he had the honor of mentoring; a motley team no one believed would have survived the first years. Yet time changes people, and more so with long standing tragedy behind them. Ozpin reached for his mug, and took a long drink of the now cold brew.

"Insult or not, you are at least polite about it."

"You know that's not why I'm here."

"I have my conjectures," he mused. "I might also be led to believe that you mean to discuss our mutual friend."

"If that's what you call a friend, then I'm not entirely surprised." Raven leant forward. "But yes, I'm here about him."

"Hopefully I can dissuade you from needlessly harming him."

"I haven't yet, but I won't sit by if he falls to a frenzy again. He's dangerous," she reminded him. "You and Qrow have the wounds proving him so beyond doubt. Something _more_ must be done about the current circumstance."

"And what would you have me do Raven?" he asked.

"Reconsider why you've given him so much clemency." Raven's answer was curt, and somewhat pointed Ozpin assumed. "I know your methods, but they only raise concerns with how quick you are to trust him."

"I had my share of suspicion," Ozpin admitted. "But I intended to question him diplomatically. He only became a danger after Ironwood pressed and provoked him to that point. With the situation now, however, he is the only source of knowledge we have to combat what may be coming our way. Unless you've changed your mind in aiding us, he's all we have left."

"I guess that explains why you've made accommodations for his every whim." Her tone was unimpressed, or more specifically disappointed. "You've allowed him to compromise your students, granted him both a residence and a hostage, and sent him off to parlay with the White Fang. You have given him _every_ avenue of working his way to an advantageous position without resistance. Were it not for the fact that you have an unconventional way to things, I would have believed you were crazy all those years ago."

"It's good to see you're still perceptive as always Raven."

"You surround him with students you trust," she ignored him. "Even though it's a dangerous risk, you know their backgrounds well enough to confirm they're not the Queen's agents. They have no probable cause or motive to turn traitor."

Ozpin's brow furrowed at the mention of their unseen foe. He made it clear to Qrow certain information required the utmost discretion, even if Raven was close to him. Unless she was investigating on her own, he would need to confirm with the man another time.

"And like you, I'm using this as an opportunity to bait out whoever may be affiliated with or after him. It's the other reason why you've chosen those teams to surround him with, even after the reputation he was given. Aside from them, no other student would be rational to approach someone _like_ him; those who do are the ones you're looking out for."

"Of which one team is already under investigation. Glynda is looking through their records, but nothing has come of it yet. The only point of concern is Sylvia Dubois, although 'concern' is putting it lightly."

A quirked eyebrow raised in question.

"The young lady appears more than enamored with him, and we're keeping an eye on that as well."

Raven rolled her eyes and turned her attention to the large windows behind him; a perfect vista of the Emerald Forest.

"And by allowing him to mediate with the Taurus boy, you'll gain both of their trust. He gives you an informant, someone to corroborate with, and anything more about those notes he hasn't committed to the page."

"So why the hesitancy Raven?" Ozpin countered. "Even if what you said wasn't true, why not help us by sharing what you know?"

"Because you've given him the girl."

She sunk back into her seat, hands folded together, but her eyes never wavered in their intensity. He paused to gather his thoughts, initially drawn to the idea of his student. His exchange of Belladonna for the young hunter's cooperation was thought to be a gamble in itself if Sibyll was a tactful deceiver. The young man could have said anything to scrape his way out of their hold on him. They had earned more than his ire, but Ozpin wished circumstances were different. He did not want his caution to be misunderstood as antagonism and set them at odds when they needed to work together. When they had fought, it was his intention to subdue the young man even when he had lost his senses within the violence. He thought that Sibyll's apparent "death" had been the end of things, before the body disappeared and arose some time later.

The mission to return him to custody was one of security; to protect people from becoming another accidental casualty. His surprise at Sibyll's return came with the confrontation of darker and more pressing matters. Tragedy followed closely behind this one individual, and now he warns of an impending danger meant for Vale. In spite of the criticisms and concerns from his closely trusted staff and peers, he still believed sending the young hunter was the best decision for them all. Call it years of intuition or a graciously lucky gut feeling, but something about Sibyll's return finally confirmed his trust in the man. Why come back at all? Why not use Addersfield as a cover for his retreat to the White Fang? If the reports about the battle that night were true, it puzzled Ozpin why a wanted man would stay and fight?

Those very questions guided his hand in agreeing to the deal. Ozpin knew that he wouldn't hurt you, and true to the man's word she wasn't. She confirmed the fantastical elements, the impossibly unbelievable, to be true and Sibyll wasn't their enemy. But that wasn't the girl Raven meant, even if her teammates believe him to be so callous and insensitive in doing so.

"Miss Cavell chose him," the headmaster finally answered. "And he accepted both her and the understanding of such responsibilities as her warden."

"A _child_ Ozpin You're risking her life at the request of a child."

"One who has no one to go home to, or a home that will accept her after what happened that night. Miss Adel's reports show that her family hosted his stay, the closest association in a Faunus settlement reserved about human presence. Those very same people began to distance themselves from her and her father, even if she isn't aware of it."

"It's still irresponsible," Raven admonished. "She's a liability, a hostage. You should have surrendered her to the foster system in Vale as you're meant to, and they would find something suitable for her."

"A system you and I know is as flawed and unfair given public's sentiment of the Faunus."

"It was a mercy she survived _at all_. The world isn't so kind, and she would adjust in time to accept that."

"As one of my students has taken that to heart," he agreed. "Even if she is, in some ways, unlike her mother."

It was too low of a blow to even be considered a sane response. Ozpin did not flinch when Raven's disappointed leer turn into a vicious snarl. To hear that his student had disappeared on her family was disheartening, even if he understood the reason why she had done so. He knew the decision was hardly an easy one, but provoking the subject matter was the only way to break through her stubbornness. It was excessively cruel, and it felt worse for him to reopen someone else's old wounds.

"You have **no** right to criticize what I've done for this damned kingdom."

"I'm not undermining the sacrifices you've made Raven," he maintained. "You and your daughter have faced your share of grief, but you both had someone to depend on. There was someone to pull you from the brink of that despair. Your family, the Branwens, assured you of your cause. As did Summer when she looked after your daughter, and your brother to Taiyang."

A photo appeared between them; Sibyll and Chisa.

"It's a miracle she survived, but a miracle squandered by casting her aside. I could have arranged for her to be taken under the care of a decent and respectable family if I desired. She has certainly earned that much."

"Then why haven't—"

"Because she _chose_ Sibyll expressly," he answered. "In all of her confusion, in that despair, she chose him because he would never hurt her. A new family would only estrange her, make her feel like halfhearted replacements for her emotional loss. I could not, in good conscience, take away the last bastion of her security."

Reports and debriefings appeared all around the photo. Day to day updates from Team CFVY leading up to RWBY's arrival and the incident itself, Vale police records about assault on a citizen, and several more around the city.

"But more importantly, I've placed Miss Cavell in his care because she is the very thing keeping him from becoming our enemy. Her presence anchors his morality, and that is valuable in maintaining both his trust and self-control."

He expanded the files to show firsthand accounts he had acquired in monitoring Sibyll's movements outside the kingdom's walls.

"Since their first meeting, every possible chance of a violent confrontation has been defused by her presence. It showed in Miss Adel's report with the girl's deceased father, telling of Sibyll's apparent hostility toward the Faunus of Addersfield. Considering his skill, he wouldn't have faced a challenge against their numbers. She had interceded; he withdrew before exhaustion took hold and he was under her family's care."

"And you think one child is enough to keep him docile?"

"She is enough to remind him of his humanity."

Ozpin moved from his chair and made his way around his desk; cane taken to his side. He leant back against it for support, but towered over Raven as he gazed down.

"I do not know what life he had before, or the sort of violence he enacted, but I hoped to provide an opportunity to step away from it. Many hold him in a suspicious light; my colleagues and myself, my students, yourself and your daughter, and people who fear him because he's different. You see him as an enemy, but you refuse to understand him and his motives. The few who try, the ones who treat him normally or with a small degree of empathy, are the ones he can trust."

He held the cane aloft, balanced perfectly in his hand.

"If I wanted a tool, I would have done as you or James would want. I would limit his movement, his contact, and given him stipulations to preserve his life. He would be useful as a means to an end, and would have been dealt with when the larger threat is over. But a tool is only useful if pliable under pressure. So what worth is a man's life if he doesn't value it? Doesn't value the fear of death? "

It was his first and only weapon, forged only through with tenacity and dedication of his will alone. Should the world itself turn on him, Ozpin knew that such faithfulness would never waver. But the cane did not comfort in the agony, nor did it revel in the victories won. All indulgences, every confided thought, ultimately fell on deaf ears for a weapon he a respects remained a tool. He could never see people in that manner, even if the sanctity of life in Vale demanded the sacrifices of his students; current and former.

"The rumors about him, Raven, show that he lacks self-regard as someone with no aura. His path leading up to Addersfield, the Grimm he encountered between those villages, are not of a man who sees his own life as valuable. Reports of his wounds, his indifference to the dangers, would have people like us question his sanity. He threw his life away to save your daughter's team, because dying appeared to only be a slight inconvenience. Does that not make you curious?"

He returned the cane at his side, the clacking sound echoed in his office.

"Whatever his agenda is, be they with or against us, it's the only thing driving him forward. His recklessness stopped when he met Miss Cavell, and she reminded him that he wasn't simply a tool to hunt down Grimm. I'm sure you know as well as I do that life as a Huntsman and Huntress dulls our sensitivity. We seek to protect the innocent, but we forget that we endanger ourselves in ways we cannot see ourselves."

"I don't need the lecture Oz," she cut in. "I came here because _I_ wanted answers and a plan to deal with him. It seems I was wrong in thinking you'd see the larger picture."

The Grimm Huntress stood swiftly, and waved to summon a portal for her exit.

"You were one of my best students," Ozpin called out before she stepped through. "I respect all that you've done to protect your family, but you're _**more**_ than just a Huntress. Please remember that."

He hoped she understood what the underlying message. Raven was one of the few who, like James, took her role as a student seriously. She hardly tolerated nonsense, and was capable of being brutally pragmatic. Were it not for her team to soften her heart, Raven would have been like Sibyll; dangerously indifferent to their own self-worth.

"You're wasting Qrow's time training that girl," she remarked. "When I find what and whom I'm looking for, I'll deal with it before coming back for him."

Once she stepped through, the portal shrank and disappeared. The headmaster hoped that she would have shared something to give them a direction. All he could do now was wait for the next move, and turned his attention to the files displayed over his desk. Each decision became increasingly difficult to make confidently, but he knew that the young hunter would bring back the piece necessary to strike first.

* * *

Sibyll touched down on the forest floor, and turned to watch the bullhead take off into the darkening sky. They traveled a great distance away from Vale, allowing him to take in the expanse of the land. It was impressive just how much land Vale encompassed within its borders, and how far forest stretched beyond. He sat in meditative silence throughout the flight, mulling over the information Qrow had gathered. The Fang's base of operation was underground with its entrance at the mouth of an abandoned mine. Apparently, it was one of many dust excavations that did not bear fruit as the miners were unable to find anything substantial. Only when the one of the tunnels collapsed did they declare the mine unsafe and abandoned it.

It brought to light a burning curiosity whom Adam's associate was, and how she found something deeper in the mines is... worrying. This woman seems too informed on something particularly ancient, and by Raven's warnings wholly unspoken. What sort of power or authority would a single person have to gain this sort of knowledge? Adam's warning about this woman had been brief, but she sounded dangerously charismatic to allow the Fang under her fold and willingly change them. Having that much sway would mean that there must be others he involved. Why else give the Fang what they may potentially want and risk mutiny? Sibyll assumed that the rapid and unnatural changes in the Faunus were intentional with a specific object in mind. The description of the desired objected he had be given by Adam was undoubtedly another chalice; a medium for rituals of unsound nature. Dread gripped his heart at the thought of something being stirred or summoned from their slumber. These entities existed out of sight and perception on purpose, and remained in a form of stasis until disturbed. Whether they were benevolent, malevolent, or indifferent was of no concern to him. He worked to stop anyone intending to use them and their insight for "progress" or calamity.

And it was best to let sleeping gods lie.

He searched his bag and produced a small, hip lantern. Light would be necessary for this trek into the dark, but only a small measure of it. Instead, Sibyll wanted to keep both hands free for the coming encounters with Grimm and Fang members alike. Both the Threaded Cane and Evelyn hung comfortably in his hands, finding comfort in their grip. It had been a while since they were used with lethal intentions, and he felt uncomfortably slack in their use. His vigilance was temporarily forgotten, and he needed to draw blood if necessary. With measured steps, he walked off into the darkness alone with his thoughts and messengers. Much has happened in the recent days, and his current solitude in the forest reminded him of the urgency of mission. He had been slow to return to work, too focused on everything else. The adjustment between both lives became difficult to cope with, and certain reasons came to mind.

The time spent looking after Chisa and the workshop was a reprieve he never knew outside of the Dream. Oh, the first days were daunting as Sibyll had no experience looking after someone so young. He was a Hunter trained by the most respected of Hunters, but he had to relax his usually cautious nature around her. She was terribly perceptive; reading him carefully to follow after his example. Her fears were what he had to consider, the gentleness of how he acts, and mindfulness to be aware of social conducts foreign to him.

His continued mentoring of Blake and association to her team provided company, even if reluctant. Everything he had to learn, that he had to experience for the first time, filled him with conflicting thoughts and troubled feelings.

It was wonderful.

It was a taste of what life would be like when his Hunt was over. There would be no more horrors to face, no further need to take up the blade night after night, and no weariness of the violence. Even if he could not recall the life he once had, Sibyll wanted to believe it was similar to what he had now. He had someone to care for and would care for him, and it would be a peaceful life when all was said and done.

His footfalls continued to tread upon the grassy path, and the thought about the workshop in the Emerald Forest. Its isolation was enough for him, but he had the little one to consider. Chisa would certainly grow with time, and it was necessary for her to return to the larger world. Would he go with her into the still overwhelming city with its technology and noise? Would he able to let her go and spread the wings of her eventual independence?

And what of Blake?

He paused, searching the area for sound and movement before pushing on. Blake would certainly have her duties as a Hunter in this world, but the risks of infection to the Grimm remains a danger. The Alpha Beowolf from before was a product of his own carelessness, an abomination that should not be in this world. And if she were ever to be the cause of another… The thought of it bristled against his better judgment. Sibyll trusted her to value a more tactical approach to the Hunt now more than ever. She still had to temper her mind against the lure of blood lust that lay dormant in her body. Team RWBY would look after her, or so he overheard from their declarations to do so. It was the price necessary for their friend's well being, a long standing fear of having to face Blake should she ever succumb.

Sibyll kept track of his progress, referring to his scroll when needed, but his thoughts continued to drift. He longed to keep the life he had with Chisa, but there was still the matter regarding Gehrman and the Doll's unusual state. The Dream persisted for now, yet it would be folly to think it would hold forever. A final though cross his mind; one that sent an unfamiliar chill down his back. If he succeeded in preventing this, could he actually stay? It was a thought he hadn't considered with how occupied his attention was. Sibyll was still a stranger to these lands, but he now had someone to care for. Would he be sent back to his own world? The image of Chisa alone once more made him pause mid stride. He vowed to look after the girl, but if had to be sent back… No, not now. He needed to focus on the task at hand. It would be something to worry about later.

He stayed the course ever since his arrival, but finding his mentor would be nigh impossible without the one link in this underground base. He hoped Adam would give him answers pointing him in the proper direction, and that the faunus had taken his warning to heart. Sibyll respected the young man; admired his dedication to the cause, but danger also lies in devotion. He could only spare the faunus who remained untouched. Convincing their leader to allow this is, as Blake claimed, worthy of having him killed for suggesting it. Still, better to try and gain Adam's blessing than incite him as an adversary.

The faintest sound rustled some distance away, and the young hunter came to a halt. Most assume the disturbance to be natural; wind passing through the trees, or an animal scuttling off to safety. Nothing apparent signaled danger as Sibyll remained alone in the forest. No Grimm has crossed his path in the time he traveled, and he was careful to keep a close eye on his surroundings. If he were still a fledgling hunter, he would have pressed on. His hands gripped his weapons tightly as he dropped into a defensive stance. It was barely discernible, but his ears caught sign of careful movement out in the darkness of the trees. Each step was done slowly, minding the terrain to making minimal noise as possible. These were telltale signs of someone stalking their mark, just outside the range of his hip lantern.

"No need to be frightened," he called out. "Even as strangers, I mean you no harm. Come, and step out into the light."

If it were a beast, the young hunter would know for sure by the nature of the ambush. He waited in the silence and received no answer. More subtle steps were made as he took one forward."

"If you have reason to follow me, it is better that we be discuss what—"

At the faintest sound of a click, he threw himself into a roll at the cover of a tree as bullets rained down where he once stood. Specks of dirt shot up in a trail to follow him, splintering the wood upon impact. The young hunter's back braced the trunk as the gunfire continued, but he now had a general direction of the treetop the intruder was perched at. Evelyn's barrel peeked around the side, and blindly fired a round upwards. It halted the attack, but he didn't hear the signs of registered pain; only a startled s intake of breath before resuming the barrage.

Hoping to gain a better visual of the attacker, Sibyll dashed around the tree and toward the hail of bullets itself; ducking and weaving as best he could to follow the muzzle's flash. They were cleverly placed; tucked against the tree itself where many of the branches wove into one another. Firing back would be difficult through the dark and leafy cover. It was a challenge he was willing to take, and he aimed up at the tree before something else struck his side. His body followed the swing of the weapon, turning his head just in time to see a black and white uniform rush by into the cover of a different tree. A stray bullet grazed his arm, and left a small crimson tear as the gunfire stops. Sounds of a firearm reloading was enough to urge Sibyll away from the current battlefield.

Two threats were manageable if he had the space and awareness to strike back. The forest worked with and against him, yet whoever these people were had been able to gain the upper hand in mere moments. They were quicker, striking hard and fast before he could hope to retaliate. He would've have commended their efforts, respecting their craftiness if they were reasonable. Instead, the young hunter forced himself to run through the trees as fast as he could; cutting through narrow trunks whenever bullets whizzed past him. His pursuers were on him but their noise grew louder, telling of growing numbers.

There would be no time to spare a glance back to see just how many they were. The Threaded Cane clicked into its whip form and lashed out when someone braved the chance to come closer. White Fang members would lurch away from the whips arc unnaturally, their bodies folding just slightly out of the way. Their chase advanced deeper into forest as their laughter began to fill the air. A cacophony of vicious mirth followed him, taunting him like dogs nipping at his heel. By the nature of their labored and manic breathing, he knew they promised savagery. Closer and closer they pushed, growing all the more bolder. Sibyll knew there wouldn't be enough time to reload his gun, and that they were watching his cane carefully; timing its retraction rate by prodding at his reflexes.

In seconds they would all descend upon him.

It was exactly what he hoped for.

A snarl tore across the air as someone following from the treetop leaped at the young hunter, gnarled and sharp fingers reaching out to him. Separated by mere inches, the White Fang pursuer's eyes grew wide as Sibyll ducked just into the beast's guard; eyes tightly shut while he palmed something against its face. Bright flames ran across the face of his enemy, sending out sporadically explosive sparks. The noise itself was deafening and he hoped the startling noise was enough to halt their ambush. Thankfully his time spent experimenting with dust and local Grimm paid off into something special.

When he felt his body crash against the earth, the young hunter pushed himself into a roll and at his feet to continue his escape. His vision still struggled to make sense of the dizzying darkness, knowing he had put a bit too much yellow dust into the flammable concoction. Still, these were unlike what Blake had described her former brothers and sisters to be. Most of them had to be relatively new, under trained or lacking combative experience at all. Their numbers were meant to be a show of force, and that not many of them were meant to be involved in a fight with authorities or Hunters. This was a first hand look at how dangerous their change was, and they were unlike the afflicted in Yharnam. Their movements were quicker and more instinctive, but that would have to be dealt with later; preferably when he wasn't outnumbered and pursued.

"A sneaky one huh? Oh ho ho this is going to be fun." A voice goaded some way behind him.

"Not if _I_ get him first! He's not like the other one... so tasty and juicy!"

"You greedy wretch, always taking first crack! Share the spoils!"

"Don't let this one escape!"

The young hunter's vision began to clear, and saw his standing ground just head. There would be enough open space for him to move, and the fallen logs would act as boundary markers. All he needed to do was goad them in properly. He reached into his coat and pulled out another modified Molotov; the rope tried around the neck of the bottle spun around his hand like a sling.

"Can't be clever with that trick twice!"

Sibyll timed his attack the moment he jumped over the log and swung the bottle against it. Explosive flames licked up behind him once more and caught someone at the point where it burned hottest. Agonizing screams followed him over and to the floor, vigorously trying to douse the oiled fires that clung to their form. He pushed toward the center of the defensive terrain and turned to face his quarries; loading another round into Evelyn as the White Fang formed a perimeter around him. With the exception of the one on fire before him, they were five in total and brandished a variety of firearms and bladed instruments.

Collectively, there was something wrong about the way they looked. The sizes varied, but their physical presence appeared to accentuate their muscular features. Those with a large build appeared to thicker, tougher in form as their uniforms could barely contain the potential raw power. Members who were leaner were definitely more agile and the fastest of the group, keeping pace him in hopes of directing him elsewhere. It was only when the young hunter looked closely at their faunus feature did his hold on the weapons tighten. Fangs protruded starkly, hands appearing like claws, and all the ears, horns, and tails appeared to be more feral.

"Given up so soon?" One sneered. "But we were just starting to have fun."

"You are mistaken," the young hunter answered. "Where we met did not feel the most appropriate to discuss, and hopefully now would be the time to speak."

"There's nothing to be said _human_ ," another answered. "You're in our territory and the only payment is blood."

Sibyll glanced at his arm and back to them. They didn't appear concerned about their still suffering comrade; all their eyes remained on him.

"I believe that would need to stay _inside_ of my body, if you please."

"We don't."

They made to move closer, but the Evelyn's roar halted their advance. Whoever the person on fire was became still as their head became a crimson splatter against the grass. Once more the young hunter fed another round into his gun.

"Now, now," be reprimanded. "There is no need for haste because I have been searching for you. All that I ask is that you take me to Adam Taurus. He is expecting my arrival."

Sounds of murderous glee gave way to caution. Their grins grinning faces narrowed thinly at him in suspicion, murmuring among themselves.

"What would our brother need of another filth human?"

"I am the one responsible for his release in Addersfield. Mention my name to him and he will confirm my claim as true."

"Bullshit! He's just buying time to escape!" Someone made to move against him, but was held back by one of the larger members; a large arm looped around the neck and squeezed tight.

"Even if he was, who says you'll get first bite?" that one snarled. Their attention was divided, and it would help from turning the situation against him once more. If there was a small chance that they could be reasoned with, all the better. If not... He'd only need one of them to guide the way.

"Everyone please," the young hunter interjected. "I assure you that I pose no threat to your leader."

"You killed one of our own!"

"In self defense. You provoked my need to act accordingly, and will continue to do so until I meet with your leader. I advise that we be reasonable and spare any further bloodshed for your sake."

That earned a few chuckles before being silenced by the larger White Fang members. They still surrounded him, but Sibyll had a firmer grasp on their position even if they appeared to be stronger than anticipated.

"I don't think you'll be making visits any time soon." They were began to converge on him. "It was fun while it lasted human. Not many people who we come across is as perceptive as you, but you blew your chance of survival calling us out."

Sibyll kept his his guard up, but could not stop the look of confusion on his face.

"I was indeed searching for the White Fang, but it was not _you_ whom I was addressing."

He wasn't deceiving them.

Granted, the sudden presence and attack of the faunus was a surprise. Yet the presence he heard stalking him throughout the forest was patient; measuring their distance from him and maintained it. He believed they were only watching him with no intent to approach or accost him. The group around him believed otherwise. They pushed closer with weapons at the ready.

"What? You want us to believe that you were expecting someone else-"

The tip of a blade pierced through the chest of an unsuspecting Fang member at his right. Pained gurgles struggled to push the the blade free before it withdrew and struck again. The attack was swift and efficient; angling the weapon to avoid bone and drew forth grievous wounds. Sibyll caught the scent of the blood carried on the air, and could recall a familiarity with the afflicted at Addersfield... with something else. Within the confusion, he quickly shifted his attention to the owner of the blade. No one stood immediately behind the dying man, but he followed a single steel thread coming from within the forest. He made to speak, but struggled to find the appropriate words when the figure stepped out.

"I half expected the Branwen woman to come to my aid." He smiled. "Color me surprise Miss Polendina."

"I'm sorry Mister Sibyll," Penny apologized earnestly. "You looked to be in trouble and I have to make sure your safety is guaranteed."

"Your timing is impeccable." The young hunter looked back to the White Fang. "Shall we?"


End file.
